


99 Red Balloons

by Whenpigsfly84



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alpha/Omega, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, Family Drama, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 51,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26030872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whenpigsfly84/pseuds/Whenpigsfly84
Summary: Hiding his identity when out in public can be hard enough, but Adrian Agreste is hiding a much more interesting secret. One his father perpetrated to keep him safe years ago. Now Adrian's being pressured to follow his father's life plan, and he's fighting back while quickly losing control. How much longer can he keep up the charade? Who is he really behind this carefully concocted lie? Will an enticing pair of teal blue eyes, paired with a voice like an angel help soothe his jagged soul? After all these years apart can Adrian give Luka Coffaine any real reason to let him back into his life, and hopefully bring some understanding and hope to him?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Luka Couffaine
Comments: 26
Kudos: 122





	1. Happy Sweet 16

Adrian had to admit, as far as birthdays went, his 16th had been a pretty big let down. His entire class had thrown him a party in school that had been super sweet of them, but his father had adamantly refused to let him celebrate in any other way. He was apparently to have already outgrown such childish nonsense such as tacky displays of wasted youth. Adrian had to bite his tongue at the bitter comment he'd wanted to shoot back, "Mom would have wanted to celebrate" because he knew it would only enrage the man. Then his father had followed that insult up with a reminder of his distinct lack of a mate so far and told him his priorities should be focused in fixing that instead of partying. Adrian had definitely not needed that reminder however, living in Paris was an almost constant love fest, everywhere he turned he saw happy couples strolling about. Today seemed to be no different and he'd steadfastly tried to avoid any areas that attracted couples, winding up strolling along the docks, staring forlornly at a few fishing boats anchored nearby. 

"Adrian?" a low, voice asked from somewhere behind him.

Adrian quickly spun around, wondering who would have recognized him around here only to see a familiar lanky young man dressed in distressed black jeans, white graphic t-shirt and blue jacket. "Luka?"

"Yep, what are you doing down here? Playing hooky from school?" Luka asked, sounding slightly surprised.

Adrian winced, he'd completely forgotten about school this morning when he'd raced out of the house after his discussion with his father that morning over breakfast. "I just had some things on my mind, guess I forgot."

Luka hesitated for a moment, not wanting to intrude anymore but also not able to tear himself away from the clearly dejected boy in front of him. "You're welcome to come back to the Liberty with me if you'd like. It's almost lunch time and I bought some sandwich supplies."

Adrian's head shot up at the offer," Oh no, I can't interrupt your day like that, I'm sure you're busy. Don't you have school today?"

Luka chuckled," I only have a few classes a week and today is my free day. I wouldn't mind the company, it gets pretty quiet around here without mom and the girls."

Adrian glanced behind him, weighing the pros and cons of going with Luka. His father expected him to be in class until 3 p.m. and the school wouldn't report his abscence until after that which technically freed him up for several hours. Looking back at Luka, who stood patiently waiting, his arms loaded down with groceries, Adrian's conscience warred inside him. He knew clearly what he should be doing right now, but he couldn't seem to get his feet to move in that direction and found himself moving towards Luka instead. 

"Here at least let me help with that," Adrian offered, taking several bags of groceries from Luka's arms. 

"Thanks, I hate to admit it but those were getting heavy," Luka joked, brushing his shoulder against Adrian's. Adrian smiled in return, always happy to help a friend.

The walk to the Liberty only took a few minutes and Adrian was surprised how close he'd been without realizing it. "I haven't had a chance to come visit lately, how is your mom doing?"

"Pretty good actually, she found a new cause to rally and has been banging down the mayor's door nearly every day this month. If she doesn't get arrested for driving the man insane she'll be able to do a lot of good for the city. How have you been? We've missed you at the Kitty Section practices," Luka replied, eyeing Adrian as the boy walked beside him.

Adrian's shoulder slumped at the mention of the band's practices, another thing his father had absolutely forbidden him from attending once he'd found out. "I'm really sorry Luka, my father said if I wanted to practice the piano more then he'd just double my lessons. He barely allows me to go to school, he'd never allow me to join a band."

"Yeah, Marinette told me he was super strict with your schedule. Sorry to hear that, but you're still welcome here anytime you want, even if it's not to practice," Luka replied, leading Adrian across the main deck of the Liberty and down into the galley. 

"I've really missed coming here too. Going to school is a great break from my father, Natalie and all my usual stuff, but coming here and being with you and everyone else is like a break from everything. I don't have to worry about being Adrian Agreste the model or Gabriel Agreste's son and heir to the Gabriel company, I can just be me and no matter how many stereo cords I trip over or how badly I embarrass myself by not knowing any popular songs, you guys never make me feel bad about it," Adrian admitted, setting the grocery bags down on the counter.

Luka was pretty sure his heart had just crawled into his throat at Adrian's quiet words. The Alpha in him was growling irritably and pacing at the dejected slump to the blonde's posture, wanting to wrap his arms around him and make him feel better. Instead Luka laid a hand on Adrian's shoulder, using his index finger he tipped Adrian's chin up until their eyes met. The pain radiating from those green orbs made Luka want to howl in anger. "I was serious about my offer Adrian, anytime you want you're welcome here. And don't forget you've got my cell number, you can call me anytime if you'd like to talk."

Adrian nodded, eyes blown wide at the sincere offer from Luka, his brain short circuiting as Luka's finger traced his jaw line and gently tucked a rouge strand of hair behind his ear. Nobody except Chloe and Nino ever instigated random touches, and never anything quite like that. For some reason his whole body had gone stiff and shivery at the same time and his heart was beating a mile a minute. While Luka put together their lunches, Adrian worked on steadying his breathing and blinking more than once every five minutes.

"So you said earlier you had some stuff on your mind, enough clearly to make you forget about school today, anything I can help with?" Luka offered, as they sat down to eat.

Adrian gave a wan smile, trying to focus on his sandwich instead of the instant replay of that particular conversation in his head. "It was nothing really, just a disagreement with my father. Just the usual, I wanted to do something and he didn't."

Luka had a strong feeling it was far more than that, "What did you want to do?"

"Have a birthday party," Adrian mumbled quietly, feeling a little silly at the admission.

"It's your birthday?" Luka asked in surprise.

"Two days ago, I turned 16. My class threw me a party at school but I was hoping I could do something with all my friends," Adrian replied.

"Happy sweet sixteen Adrian, I'm sorry you're not going to get to celebrate the way you want though," Luka said.

Adrian could feel his cheeks heating up at Luka's response, usually girls were wished a happy sweet 16, not guys, but there was something about the way Luka said it to him that made him want to hear it a few dozen more times. "Thanks Luka, I really appreciate it, at least I got to celebrate with my class. That was definitely more enjoyable then before when I was home schooled."

"I bet, so now that you're 16 what are you going to do? Have any plans for the future?" Luka asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

Unfortunately that seemed to backfire rather quickly and Adrian's posture crumpled once again. "My future's all planned out already, my father's got me scheduled from now until the day I die. Currently I'm supposed to be finding a mate."

Luka fought back a grimace at the thought of Adrian's father, a man who clearly needed a class in basic parenting. He'd never been too impressed with his pompous attitude whenever he made the news and had never had high hopes for his son whenever he graced the runways, figuring he'd be just a miniature copy of Gabriel Agreste. When Marinette had invited him over the first time, he was quite hesitant to say the least, but Adrian was the exact opposite of what he'd expected and was both pleased and disappointed. How a man like Gabriel Agreste had taken such a bright young man and crushed out any sort of hope, love and happiness was beyond Luka's comprehension. Every time he saw Adrian after that first meeting, Luka had been determined to see if he could uncover a little more of that hidden personality that he was sure was somewhere underneath the painfully shy and proper exterior. 

Taking a deep breathe to try centering himself back to their conversation, Luka glanced over at Adrian who was nibbling half heartedly at his sandwich. "So who's the lucky lady?" Adrian startled at the question, looking around the room as if someone new had entered.

Luka chuckled at Adrian's response, looking completely caught off guard. "I meant who are you considering as your mate? You must have quite the list."

Adrian flushed at Luka's words. "Nobody actually, at least nobody I'd stand a chance with."

Luka's brows furrowed in confusion, this was the side of Adrian he just didn't understand. The boy was a teen heart throb, with every gender under 18 throwing themselves at him for the last three years and yet his self image was absolutely abysmal. "Oh come on now, you're a famous model with a filthy rich father in the clothing industry and the hottest Beta in France, and you're telling me there's someone who wouldn't fall over themselves to be with you?"

Adrian cringed at the question, ducking his head in mortification. "I'm not all that you think I am Luka, I'm just an image, a brand that my father created for his company. Nobody is ever really attracted to me once they meet me, only what they see in the magazines. I'm not real, I'm a complete fake, everything they say about me is a lie."

Luka had completely lost his appetite, and slowly pushed his plate away giving the boy in front of him a hard look as Adrian listlessly poked at his own lunch. "Adrian, do you like playing the piano?"

Adrian was once again caught off guard by Luka's seemingly random change in topic. "Uh, yeah. Though I like when I get to play the keyboard here more."

"And do you like playing video games with Nino, Alya, Marinette and the rest of your friends?" Luka asked.

"Of course, I still haven't been able to beat Marinette even after two years of playing against her," Adrian laughed.

"And do you like helping your friends, no matter how crazy the situation or what kind of trouble you might get into with your father?" Luka asked.

Adrian nodded, "Yeah, I'd do anything for them. They're the most important part of my life."

Luka smiled confidently. "Then I'd say your friends know you pretty well and they still care about you. It doesn't matter what's printed in the news or spread across gossip pages, we know you better then that and we know the truth. I'd say if you do have your heart set on someone just show them the real you, they can't help but fall in love."

Adrian stared at Luka in shock, how many years had Nino, Alya and Marinette been telling him the exact same thing and he'd been unable to take it to heart? But if Luka knew who he'd been pining over for the last few years surely he'd understand the futility of it. "It's not that easy, I see her nearly every day but no matter what I do she'll never see me that way. Her heart is set on someone else."

"How long have you liked her?" Luka asked.

"Since I was fourteen and we first met," Adrian replied.

Luka wanted to bang his head on the table top, Adrian had been a love sick fool for two years now and still hadn't gotten out of the friendzone. What was this girl's problem? And why was Adrian still so hung up on her?

"Who is she?" Luka asked.

Adrian suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "She's a friend from work."

"She's a model?" Luka asked, wondering if she was famous if that was why Adrian couldn't get any closer to her.

"No..." Adrian muttered.

"Is she someone I know or have seen on tv?" Luka asked curiously.

"Sort of, she's kinda an internet star I guess you could say," Adrian explained.

"Ah ok, one of those unattainable types then. It's alright Adrian we've all had crushes on celebrities at one time in our lives or another, it's totally normal. But if your father is pushing you to find a mate, you might want to start looking a little closer to home," Luka replied.

Adrian nodded, "I know, my father would never understand if I told him I was waiting for her. He expects me to marry someone who can bring something worthy of the Gabriel Agreste brand to the family. But once they find out who I really am, nobody like that will be willing to be with me."

"Adrian I already told you, plenty of people know who you are and care a great deal about you. Why do you think nobody would want you as a mate?" Luka asked, greatly concerned at Adrian's poor self image.

"It's not that, I know my friends care about me but my father lied years ago about something and now if they find out I'll never get a mate and his reputation could be ruined," Adrian said.

Luka sat back, gauging Adrian's tense shoulders and worry flickering through his eyes. Gabriel had already set his son up for so many failures what more could he have possibly done to Adrian now? "You don't have to tell me Adrian, I can see this is hard for you, but no matter what it is, I'm still going to be your friend."

Adrian relaxed slightly at Luka's response, his friends really were too good to be true. He hadn't even told Nino the truth about himself yet, though he was pretty sure his best friend would never rebuff him for it. Adrian wanted to tell someone though, he wanted to stop denying who and what he really was. The shame he'd carried around for years now was wearing him down significantly, compounded by his father's constant reminder of how much he disapproved. "I'm an Omega."

Luka blinked, unsure he'd actually heard what Adrian had just uttered so quietly that it was barely understandable. However the boy hadn't raised his head from where it hung, staring down at the table and his lips had hardly moved more then to breathe. He was almost afraid to ask Adrian to repeat himself, what if he refused or that hadn't been what he'd said? 

Slowly, terrified of seeing rejection and horror across Luka's face, Adrian looked up at the young man. However stone cold confusion met his gaze and Adrian had no idea how to react. "Um, I think it's gotten pretty late, I'd better get going before my father wonders where I am."

Snapping out of his daze, Luka lurched forward in his seat and snagged Adrian by the wrist as he tried scooting out of the bench seat. "Wait Adrian, don't go please!"

Adrian froze at the hand on his wrist, too unsure to make another move. Quickly the hand released him and he heard Luka sliding out from the other side of the table.

"Adrian, can you repeat what you just said a moment ago for me please? I'm pretty sure I heard it correctly but I'd hate to assume and make an idiot out of myself," Luka asked, crouching down in front of where Adrian was sitting on the edge of the bench so he could look up at the blonde.

Adrian swallowed thickly, repeat himself? It took a lifetime of repression to say it once, and what if someone else heard him? He couldn't, if his father found out he'd never get to leave his room ever again. The media would have a field day, his entire life would be ruined. Everyone would laugh at him, and he'd never be able to be seen in public again. Adrian didn't realize he'd shut his eyes or that his hands had begun shaking uncontrollably until Luka's warm hands gently took them in his. 

"It's ok Adrian, I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do. I know how hard that must have been to say, you've never gotten to before have you?" Luka guessed, earning an emphatic shake of the head from the blonde.

"I'm not upset or disgusted, I'm not going to throw you out or stop being your friend. I won't tell anyone, your secret is safe with me. I understand now what you meant though and I'm so sorry Adrian," Luka added, as Adrian's lip quivered. 

Before Adrian's emotions could spiral any further down, arms were suddenly around him and he was being pulled out of his seat and into Luka's lap on the floor. His head was pressed against a firm, warm chest and he couldn't help but curl himself further into the embrace. Luka began to hum a soft, soothing melody, his hands gently rubbing up and down Adrian's arms and back, making the boy practically purr in contentment at all the physical affection.

Luka had been acting purely on Alpha instinct when he'd pulled Adrian into the hug, unable to resist helping and soothing the distraught boy. Those three words Adrian had muttered suddenly made so many things click into place for him. All the strange quirks and personality traits Adrian had displayed over the years that Luka and the others had chalked up to being so socially inept due to his stringent upbringing made so much more sense now. It also further enraged Luka, realizing how badly Adrian's father had repressed his son's true nature. Omega's were natural helpers, with a need to please others, especially their Alphas. They craved touch and reassurance and could become dangerously depressed and suicidal if neglected. But for an Alpha like Gabriel Agreste, having an Omega son was seen as a failing, hence the reason why he'd lied and said Adrian was a Beta. Omegas weren't highly sought after as mates, especially if they were male. As strong willed and well brought up as Adrian was he would still need either a very confident Beta as a mate or an Alpha who could go toe to toe with his father. Off the top of his head, he couldn't think of a single one of Adrian's friends that he knew of who could fit that role. He knew Marinette had harbored a crush on him for years, but she too was an Omega and certainly not strong enough to support Adrian. Chloe was completely out of the question, although a Beta in her own right and as head strong as any Alpha there was no love there, which Adrian desperately needed. 

Knowing that he'd probably overstepped his boundaries with Adrian by about a mile, Luka glanced down at the head of glossy blonde hair that was tucked under his chin, relieved to see a slight smile on his face as he relaxed against him. "Sorry about the sudden hug, guess being around overly emotional girls all day starts to rub off on me."

Adrian blinked, still half dazed from how relaxed and calm he felt in Luka's arms. "Uh, it's ok. Guess I'm just not used to it. Usually it's Chloe who's suddenly giving me hugs by literally thowing herself at me."

Luka chuckled, slowly unwrapping himself from around Adrian, steadying the other boy as he started to lean backwards without him there. "I get that, my mom and Rose are famous for sudden full body hug attacks, I've just learned to roll with it."

Adrian nodded in understanding as Luka stood up and reached down a hand to pull him to his feet. "I'm sorry about dumping all my problems on you Luka, but thanks for listening. I haven't told anyone that before, not even Nino."

Luka smiled softly, "It's alright, I really don't mind. I know usually Omegas are the ones who are the emotional problem solvers, but my mom kinda has a harsh view of all Alphas since my dad left her so she's raised me more like a Omega with the responsibilities of an Alpha."

"That must have been difficult. My only example of an Alpha is my father, so I was always taught to fear and respect them. Honestly the idea of mating to an Alpha kinda scares me, but I'm supposed to be a Beta so ideally I'd find a nice suitable Omega and nobody would ever find out," Adrian replied with a dismissive shrug.

"Alphas like your father are the exact thing my mom despises more then anything, and the last thing I want to grow up to be. You have to know Adrian not all Alphas are like that though, I'm not and I never will be. Whoever I take as a mate I want them to know I love them, I'd never hurt them and I certainly wouldn't want them afraid of me," Luka explained.

"I know Luka, I think that's why I trust you so much. There aren't many Alphas in my class, so except for my father and some producers I work with I don't have any experience with them. Then I was introduced to you and although I was really nervous, especially if you'd figured out I wasn't a Beta, I you never intimidated me like the others. I've always been warned not to go with any Alphas if my father wasn't present, and not to hang around any longer then necessary," Adrian said.

"You really don't know anything about being an Omega, do you?" Luka asked gently. Adrian just shook his head with a heavy sigh.

"Why don't we go down to my room and I'll see if I can't shed some more light on a few things for you? My mom was pretty good at 'the talk' back in the day and it sounds like you could use some of that information now," Luka suggested, leading the way further into the belly of the ship. Adrian wasn't sure what more Luka could tell him, since he wasn't supposed to be an Omega at all, but curiosity was a powerful thing.

"So, I've got to ask, you've been over here at least a dozen or so times but I never pegged you as an Omega, how are you keeping it so secret?" Luka asked, tossing himself down on his bed and patting the empty space beside him for Adrian.

Adrian sat beside Luka, settling back against the mound of pillows on the headboard. "I'm on several heavy duty hormone suppressants plus I get top of the line colognes to wear to help cover up any lingering scent, especially when I'm near my heats."

Luka nodded, even with Adrian in his arms earlier he'd be completely nose blind to the boy and he'd never before had that problem. "So since you're so used to be a Beta, I suppose you don't know much about being an Omega. The main difference between all of us, whether Alpha, Beta or Omega is pretty much just psychological. Alphas are more or less born leaders, we have strong wills, we take jobs that give us a sense of being the head of the pack, so to speak, like your father running is own company. But usually we also have strong protective streaks, for our friends and families. Betas are the middle men, they support everyone else, the Alphas, each other and the Omegas. They're in a tough position though because that means they've got to watch out for both sides, they have to be the perfect partner for the Alphas, knowing what they're going to want or need at any given moment and be ready for it and also be able to aid any Omegas in their lives because often times the Alphas are too busy to help them or the Omegas are too intimidated by them to ask for help. But they're great mediators and coordinators, they can bring Alphas and Omegas together and get them to listen to each other."

"Like your mom," Adrian cut in.

Luka smiled, "Yeah my mom's a pretty rocking Beta. Though most Alphas find her a bit too much for their tastes. But she's had to be Alpha of our family for so long she doesn't know how to let anyone else lead. Omegas on the other hand are instinctive nurturers and care takers. For the most part Omegas hate conflict, they'll jump into any situation and try to make it better. Sort of like how Marinette is constantly trying to make peace between everyone she knows whenever there are disagreements. They tend to take on the emotions of those people around them though as well, which can really cause a lot of mental and emotional pain for Omegas. They can become completely depressed just because a friend of theirs is sad. Juleka told Rose one time that a guy she was about to admit her feelings to just moved and Rose was so upset she cried for over two hours straight."

Adrian blinked in surprise at Luka's story, he could completely see Rose reacting like that, she was definitely the most emotional of his friends. Thinking about all his friends he started to see how they reacted to things differently and how that marked them Alpha, Beta or Omega. "I guess I never really thought of it that way before. My father always told me Omegas were weak, that I couldn't let my emotions control me and that even though I'd never pass as an Alpha, I'd have to be at least strong enough to pass as a Beta."

"Controlling your emotions as an Omega is probably the toughest part, your body is pretty much ruled by them. Rose is a prime example of what an Omega with no control looks like, she expresses whatever she's feeling all the time no matter the situation. It makes it easier to gauge how she's feeling but it can be a little overwhelming. You, Adrian are probably the most controlled Omega I've ever seen, which is why it's not so hard to picture you as a Beta. But cutting off all your emotions isn't healthy, not for anyone, Alphas, Betas or Omegas. You need to know why things make you happy, sad, mad, frustrated so you can deal with them. Like today with your father, you were so upset you forgot about going to school," Luka explained, casting a glance up at the boy, who looked sad and forlorn once again.

"I know, I'm sorry. I just had to get out of there before I said something to make him really mad. He was already so disappointed in me and I couldn't stand him looking at me like that anymore," Adrian replied, curling his knees up to his chest.

Luka quickly sat up, forcing Adrian's hands from where they were clutched around his knees. "See this is what I was talking about Adrian, right now you're upset and you're literally shoving it inside you and trying to hide it away. You're taking blame for something you didn't even do, something that was caused by an Alpha in your life not taking care of you properly. You shouldn't feel bad about yourself because you wanted to celebrate your birthday. Your father should be making up invitations and inviting the whole world to celebrate you turning 16, he should be proud of you."

Adrian shook his head in denial, he knew better. His father had nothing to be proud of, he was a useless Omega and a smear on the Agreste name. Adrian took a shuddering breath, it hurt so much thinking of what a failure he was, he had to get himself under control again and not embarrass himself or his father any further. 

Luka watched as Adrian struggled to shove his roiling emotions back into the lock box he kept them in, his heart breaking for his friend. "You don't have anything to be ashamed of Adrian. You're a wonderful son any father would be proud to have, even as an Omega. You're so strong to try and deal with all this on your own, but you don't have to hide it from me. I know it hurts when he doesn't appreciate you, when he tells you you're not what he wants. Whenever it gets to be too much for you, you can come talk to me and I swear I'll make it better if I can, ok?"

His throat closed up so tight all Adrian could do was nod as once again a tsunami of emotions threatened to overwhelm him. This must have been what Luka had been talking about, why he seemed so out of control at times, wanting to scream, cry and throw the world's biggest tantrum. Right now his head was pounding, his breathing was ragged and rough and he could barely blink the tears from his eyes anymore. He desperately wanted to get out of Luka's room, run as far as he could before he couldn't hold it all back any more. However Luka still had ahold of both his hands and was kneeling in front of him on the bed, effectively blocking any escape routes.

"With Juleka and Rose I know what to do when they're upset, but since you're taking so many suppressants I can't tell exactly what you're feeling. I'm gonna guess you're definitely not happy, right?" Luka asked, carefully assessing Adrian's facial shifts.

Adrian shook his head, letting it hang limply, his forehead resting against his knees.

"Do you want to leave?" Luka asked, sitting back on his heels and slowly letting Adrian's hands slip through his own.

Adrian's head snapped up, panic fleeting across his face as his hands automatically scrambled to grip Luka's again before he dropped them and recoiled at the unexpected and sudden motion.

"It's ok Adrian, were you ok with me holding your hands?" Luka asked, trying to keep his voice as smooth and steady as possible. Clearly Adrian was fighting against what his nature dictated he wanted and needed and what his upbringing was telling him was right. "It's just you and me here, just relax and go with what you feel."

Adrian nodded, he may not completely understand why but he'd felt grounded with Luka's hands on his and even though he knew he shouldn't let anyone see what a mess he was right now, he had the strongest urge to crawl into Luka's lap like earlier in the galley. He couldn't tell Luka that though, it was beyond mortifying to show how weak he was. Nobody would respect him, and Luka would probably laugh at him.

Luka could once again see the warring emotions on Adrian's face, finally despair settling heavy on the blonde's down turned lips. For some reason Adrian had completely stopped speaking, which was making this more into a very difficult game of charades for Luka, but one he was determined to win. "Hey, is it ok if I get closer?"

Adrian nodded, sucking in another heavy breath that left as the most melancholy sigh Luka had ever heard. Luka quickly sat beside Adrian on the bed and without giving the boy a chance to protest, lifted him up just enough to slid over his thigh and between his open legs so his back rested against Luka's chest. Luka brought their entwined hands together across Adrian's chest and gave him a gentle but firm hug, resting his chin on Adrian's shoulder. 

Adrian was still trying to process the sudden position shift when Luka pulled both their arms together to give him a hug, pressing him back into his chest. Warmth from the body behind him flooded through Adrian and he couldn't help the mewl of sound that left him as he tried to curl closer to the feeling. Luka just pulled his legs together, bracketing Adrian on both sides before nuzzling his neck in a way that made shivers run down his back. He'd never had a chance to get this physically close to anyone in years, not since his mother disappeared and he was shocked at how badly he felt like he needed this. Surely he was too old to need to be held and cuddled, right? And why was he so comfortable with Luka doing this of all people? Sure they were friends, but Nino was a closer friend to him, though the thought of Nino doing this with him made his stomach flip queasily. Adrian was thankfully brought out of his strange musings when Luka began to softly sing in his ear. It wasn't a song he was familiar with but the melody was calm and gentle and he found his eyelids fighting to stay open. 

Luka smirked at the sound that Adrian made as he arched and practically melted against him. How long had it been since anyone had paid him any sort of affection? Luka couldn't see Gabriel Agreste being a very physically loving father, which was clear in how Adrian was reacting to him. He just wished he had a better solution to Adrian's problems, which unfortunately weren't going to get easier as he got older. Trying to imitate a Beta through his teens and early twenties was going to be nearly impossible and how were they going to guarantee that whoever they found to mate with him wouldn't run screaming to the gossip rags the minute they found out? There was no way Adrian was going to get very far trying to support another Omega when he didn't even know how one was supposed to be treated. 

Luka couldn't resist the pale expanse of exposed neck that was stretched out in front of him and before he could rethink it he began running his lips from the edge of Adrian's hairline down to his shirt collar. Usually this would be a scenting action, but the only scent that came was a cologne that assaulted his nose with a mix of Juniper and Sage. Luka's alpha wanted to lick it off the boy until he could get down to Adrian's real scent and then properly rub all over him. Thankfully Luka was well in charge of his baser instincts and carefully pulled back a bit, satisfied to just watch as Adrian relaxed back against him. 

Several hours later, Adrian was roused from the deepest sleep he'd had in longer then he could remember. His entire body felt limp and relaxed, his eyes were heavy and he could barely muster the energy to open them entirely. His brain was a fuzzy, unfocused enigma that refused to even provide him with any logical information as to when, where or how he'd fallen asleep. "My mom and sister are home, do you want to keep sleeping or come out?" Adrian groggily peered up at the voice, nothing triggering registration in his brain.

Luka chuckled softly at the completely dazed look on Adrian's face as he tried to ask him what he'd like to do. Somewhere in the middle of his singing a song to Adrian, the boy had fallen asleep, warm and comforted by the Alpha around him and Luka had shortly joined him. Now however it was nearly 4 p.m. both his mom and sister were home and they'd begin to wonder if Luka never came out of him room. Honestly Luka had no desire to face his family and answer what was sure to be an uncomfortable barrage of questions when he had a sleepy, warm bed partner to curl back up with. "It's ok, stay here, go back to sleep. I'll be back in a few minutes." Luka gently ruffled a hand through the soft blonde locks, earning a pleased hum from Adrian as his eyes drifted shut again.

Anarka looked quizzically at her son as he backed quietly out of his room, shutting the door and tiptoing into the galley. "If you're hiding someone in there, you might as well spill because you know I'm going to find out sooner or later."

Luka sighed but didn't protest, "It's Adrian."

Anarka and Juleka exchanged puzzled looks before Juleka spoke up. "He wasn't at school today..."

"Was he here all day?" Anarka asked in surprise.

"Pretty much, I saw him down on the dock by the fishing boats this afternoon after I went grocery shopping and he looked pretty down so I invited him back for lunch," Luka explained.

"He hardly ever misses school, must have been pretty bad," Juleka commented.

"Is he alright? Do we need to call for his driver, or chaperone or whatever?" Anarka asked.

Luka shook his head, hoping his mom wouldn't go on one of her saving crusades if she thought Adrian was in trouble. "He's fine, just an argument with his dad that didn't go well. He needed someone to talk to and I let him crash in my room."

Anarka's eyes hardened and Luka mentally cringed. "Is his father the reason Adrian hasn't been coming around much lately? I thought you guys hit it off pretty well when you got him playing the keyboard and out of his shell a bit. Poor boy needs some serious socialization."

"Yeah, his father doesn't like him leaving the house much and has him on a pretty tight schedule," Luka admitted, suddenly feeling like spilling the entire secret to his mom. 

"Well, if he wants, he's welcome here anytime. I swear overbearing Alphas, pushing their agendas on their children, it's so sickening..." Anarka muttered, turning around to the kitchen counters and pulling items out to start dinner with.

Juleka shot him a look, one eyebrow raised and a smirk on her lips. "So he's been in your room all afternoon, huh?" 

Luka blanched, "He was upset, he needed someone to talk to."

Juleka nodded, "And you just talked, for four hours? Why didn't he come out when you did?"

"He's asleep, maybe Rose can bounce back from every bought of emotions she has but most of us get pretty worn out," Luka fired back, his infinite patience seeming to come to an abrupt end.

Juleka's eyes were wide at the end of the snippy comment, not used to seeing her brother lose his cool so fast. "I'm sorry Luka, I didn't mean anything by it."

Luka scrubbed a hand across his face, "I know, I'm sorry too but Adrian would hate anyone making fun of him, you know that. So let's just leave it alone, and when he comes out just be nice and don't say anything, please."

Juleka nodded hurriedly and quickly let her hair fall across her face as a shield. Luka felt momentarily bad about that but he had more pressing concerns. Quietly entering his room again, he couldn't suppress the smile that erupted across his face seeing Adrian snuggled underneath the mountain of covers on his bed still peacefully asleep. There was definitely something about this boy that tugged on all of his heart strings and played them like a harp. 

It wasn't easy to wake Adrian up and Luka regretted having to do it but by now the school had reported his absence and he worried what sort of trouble Adrian would be in for once he got home. Adrian stretched languidly across the bed, arms above his head and toes pointed in a stretch reminiscent of a lazy house cat that made Luka grin again. His shirt rode up, exposing his stomach and Luka physically withheld himself from running his fingers across the skin, knowing this very inexperienced Omega had probably had as much touching as he could handle for the day. 

"It's getting pretty late, I know you needed to get home but you're going to probably have to come up with a reason for skipping school. I hope you don't get into too much trouble," Luka explained, causing Adrian to scramble for his phone to check the time.

"Oh no," Adrian groaned, slumping back against the headboard, his father was going to ground him for month; if he was lucky. 

"Guess we should have set an alarm," Luka said with an apologetic shrug.

"It's not your fault Luka, thanks a lot for being such a great friend today," Adrian replied, slipping on his shoes and shoving his phone in his pocket. "I'll think of something to tell my father, so don't worry about it."

Luka couldn't help but worry as he watched Adrian jog down the gangplank and to the end of the dock. It had been a weird day, that was sure but he felt good about being able to help Adrian and take some of the pressure off of him. Hopefully he'd helped clear some misunderstandings up for him as well, since he had almost no real experience as an Omega. And maybe sometime Adrian would be able to come visit again, perhaps when he wasn't so upset, though the cuddling and snuggling really had been nice.


	2. Moan Worthy Cheesecake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who read this, gave me kudos and left a comment; it made my week!   
> This next chapter is fairly long, apologies to anyone reading it on a cell phone, and I had to break it into 2. Which means this entire story jumped to 4 chapters now and !warning! ch. 3 is going be sexually descriptive. I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter, feel free to leave more comments, it really fuels my writing engine.

Adrian balked in shock at his father, it had been six weeks since his 16th birthday and apparently, Gabriel had taken his need to find a mate seriously. By most standards, he was still pretty young to get tied down, but with him being an Omega, pretending to be a Beta and constantly in the limelight things were getting complicated fairly quickly. His next heat was coming up and his father was taking it as a reason he needed a mate, immediately.

"The Tsurugi's are a very influential family in Asia, with ties to many prosperous businesses. Their daughter is a Beta with the best upbringing possible, it would certainly be an advantageous match. I've already spoken to her parents and they're considering it, we're to have dinner with them next week where a decision will be finalized," Gabriel explained, giving Adrian a nod before spinning on his heel and marching from the dining room, leaving his son in a state of utter bewilderment.

Natalie remained in the room, a slight look of concern on her face as she glanced from her tablet to Adrian sitting ramrod straight in his chair. "I know it seems unexpected, but your father has been in talks with the Tsurugi's for weeks now."

Adrian's eyes snapped up to her and she winced slightly at the horrified look. "He can't be serious, Kagami is my friend but I don't love her."

"It has nothing to do with love Adrian, it's a business agreement. Her family would no more out you then lose such a valuable connection to the Gabriel brand. Besides if this happens quickly then you won't have to spend another heat alone," Natalie added, as if it made perfect sense.

Adrian couldn't breathe, he was pretty sure his brain had completely stopped functioning and he was about to suffocate in his dining room. Shoving his chair back, he sprinted past Natalie as she tried to say something to him before bolting straight for his room. Plagg was out of his pocket the second he slammed the bedroom door shut, a concerned look on his face as he crooned softly to Adrian something his ears couldn't make out because of the roaring sound in his head. His knees gave out and he slid down the door into a heap, his arms coming to cradle his head.

"Come on kid, you gotta breathe for me. Please, Adrian, try to relax, it's all gonna be ok," Plagg tried, as Adrian gasped and wheezed incoherently. "That's it, I'm calling in reinforcements!" Plagg flew over to where Adrian's phone was laying on his desk and quickly scrolled through trying to find someone who could help. Ladybug was his first thought, but she didn't know Adrian as Cat Noir and Marinette wasn't that good in desperate situations like this. He needed someone who could get through to Adrian as he was now, someone Adrian trusted. Plagg tried Nino's cell but it went to voicemail and he kept scrolling until Luka's name popped up. They'd texted a few times since Adrian's last visit to the Liberty and he always seemed calmer and more focused afterward, which was exactly what Plagg needed now.

Luka glanced down at his cell as it chirped a text message. It was from Adrian, and the subject line was all capitalized exclamation points. Opening the text screen Luka was initially confused by the message and then very worried.

Obviously, this was not written by Adrian himself, but why did whoever wrote this think that he could help? Deciding the frantic tone to the text was enough, Luka shoved his phone in his pocket and quickly headed across town to the Agreste estate. Once he was there however he was met with a very high wrought iron fence and a very disagreeable voice coming through the speaker box. No amount of pleading or asking nicely was getting him inside and he was running out of options while Adrian was running out of time. The texts kept coming in every other minute and it was becoming increasingly annoying even as Luka's nerves became shorter.

With no other choice, Luka ducked down the alley between the next two houses and activated his Miraculous. "I'm sorry to have to use it like this, but Sass, Scales Slither!" Immediately the kwami transformed Luka into Viperion and he was able to leap the fence line and climb into the second story window that led to Adrian's room. Taken aback for a moment, Luka stood looking around the opulent room before Plagg was suddenly floating in front of his face, a desperate and angry look on his face.

"Finally you show up, took you long enough! Adrian's in bad shape and I can't get through to him," Plagg said, zipping back to where the blonde was still huddled against the door. 

"Wait, how do you know who I am?" Luka asked, stumbling forward after the cat kwami. 

Plagg flew back to Luka, "Your kwami is Sass, and you're Viperion, aka Luka Coffaine. I know all about you from Cat Noir. Now come on, Adrian needs your help, we don't have time for any more introductions."

Luka nodded and de-transformed, letting Sass join up with Plagg as they hurried over to Adrian. "What happened?"

"His father wants him to marry this girl named Kagami next week and Adrian had a total meltdown. His breathing sounds funny and he hasn't said a word since he came upstairs," Plagg explained worriedly.

Luka crouched down in front of Adrian, hearing the ragged uneven breathing and gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "Adrian, it's Luka. Can you look at me?" Adrian's only response was a tightening of his entire body, pulling himself further into the ball he'd curled into. Luka looked helplessly up at the two kwamis floating above him but neither had any advice. Knowing how hard, uncomfortable, and cold the floor was, Luka carefully wrapped his arms around Adrian's stiff form and picked him up, carrying him towards the bed. "Let's get you warmed up buddy."

Getting Adrian onto the bed wasn't the issue, the boy was surprisingly light for someone his age and height but he still refused to uncurl from his tight ball and Luka wasn't even sure he was registering his presence. If Adrian was that far into his head, then it could take hours for him to come back, if he was able to at all. It was a defensive mechanism of Omegas and probably something he should have explained to Adrian earlier. He'd run into this problem with Omegas before, they would get so emotionally hurt and scared that they'd shut down and block out whatever was outside them. No amount of talking would ever get through, instead, you had to be tactile if you could manage it and they didn't try fighting you off. Adrian was so unused to touch, that even as far gone mentally as he was, his body responded naturally to Luka. 

Once Adrian was curled on his side in the bed, Luka crawled in after him, wrapping himself around the blonde, trying to touch every inch he could reach. He ran his hands up and down his bare arms, across his back in soothing circles, through his hair as he brushed their cheeks together, ghosting warm air across Adrian's neck and throat. Slowly Adrian's arms unclenched and blindly reached for the warmth in front of him, grasping Luka's shirt in fistfuls. Luka pulled himself closer, letting Adrian's body feel his own, soaking up the warmth and gradually relaxing. Before too long, Adrian was spread out across the top of Luka, his ear to Luka's chest listening to the steady heartbeat as his own tried to mimic it.

Green eyes flickered open, clear, and stable as he took in his surroundings. He could see his bedsheets, but he couldn't feel his bed, instead, he could feel someone breathing, their chest rising and falling and their heart beating in his ear. Turning his head to the right, he glanced through the messy blonde fringe of his hair to see Luka gazing up at him. Just as panic began to make him tense up, arms tightened slightly from around him and Luka make shushing sounds. 

"It's alright Adrian, you had a panic attack and I was trying to help get you out of it. Just relax, I'm not going to hurt you," Luka explained, running a hand through Adrian's hair, causing the boy to moan in delight and sink back down in bliss. Luka chuckled and stroked the top of Adrian's head, watching in rapt amusement as the boy's eyes slipped closed once more and a goofy grin spread across his face. "Like that, huh?" Adrian just mewled softly and rubbed his face against Luka's shirt.

Luka tugged the comforter closer around them, trying to keep the building body heat from escaping, glad that the tremors that had been wracking Adrian's body earlier had subsided. As an Omega, Adrian had responded in all the right ways, becoming pliant and responsive to the Alphas instructions and motions even if Adrian didn't know it. He was starving for physical affection and touch and it took more control then Luka thought it would not to continue the natural course of things. He knew his Alpha was preening right now, having this happy Omega sprawled on top of him, responding beautifully to every touch, and making the most pleasant sounds. But Adrian couldn't let himself be the Omega that he was, that his instincts were screaming he needed to be. So it was Luka who had to keep a tight reign on things, give him just enough to satisfy his needs without compromising himself. 

"So he's ok now?" Plagg asked, floating down to peer into Adrian's face.

Adrian's eyes blinked open once more at the familiar voice, confusion causing his brows to cross. "Plagg?"

"We probably shouldn't bother them while they're bonding," Sass commented, trying to draw Plagg away from the boys.

"I know but I was really worried about Adrian, I've never seen him that upset before," Plagg continued, placing a hand gently on Adrian's cheek.

"I'm ok Plagg, I'm sorry I worried you," Adrian apologized before his eyes flicked to where Sass was floating. "Sass, what are you doing here? Where's Viperion? Is something wrong?"

Luka chuckled, drawing Adrian's attention away from the snake, "He's here with me, and besides what was going on with you, there's nothing else wrong."

"Luka? Sass? Plagg? Wait, Luka, you can see them?" Adrain spluttered, his brain slow to catch up.

"Yes, I can see them because Sass is my kwami. I know we're not supposed to know each other's identities but your butler wouldn't let me in and Plagg made it sound pretty urgent," Luka replied with a nonchalant shrug.

Adrian glanced between the three once more, before settling on Luka who wore the most patient look in history on his face. "Viperion?"

"Yep, got it in one," Luka confirmed with a nod.

Adrian slowly slid off Luka's chest until he was sitting cross-legged beside him on the bed. "Ug, Ladybug is gonna be so mad if she finds out we know each other."

Luka propped himself up on his elbows giving Adrian a reassuring smile. "I won't tell if you won't, though she already knows who I am since she's the one who gave me my Miraculous. I am pretty surprised to hear you two don't know who each other are, even after all these years. How have you kept it secret?"

"It hasn't been easy and I don't like not knowing who each of our teammates are, but Ladybug insists it's safer this way and I don't want to put her in any danger," Adrian replied with a sigh.

"Well at least we can talk about it, it must get pretty lonely doing the super heroing every day and never being able to tell anyone," Luka guessed, earning an agreeing nod from Adrian.

"I'm sorry you had to reveal yourself like this though, I know Ladybug made it pretty clear that we're supposed to keep out identities secret," Adrian muttered.

Luka shrugged in dismissal, "At least it was to you and not some random person. I was planning on keeping Sass hidden but when we saw Plagg flying around it kind of let the cat out of the bag so to speak."

"How did you know to come here anyway?" Adrian asked.

"Uh, that was all me, sorry Adrian, but I was so worried when you wouldn't speak to me that I didn't know who else to call. Nino wasn't answering, I didn't think you wanted Marinette seeing you like this and all I could think of was getting another Miraculous holder's help," Plagg explained.

"I guess that makes sense, I can only imagine trying to explain this one to Marinette, Alya or even Chloe," Adrian replied with a shudder of horror.

"Explain what? The panic attack?" Luka asked.

Adrian flushed, "More like the reason behind it. Which, I don't want anyone else knowing about, ok?" Luka nodded, sitting up more as Adrian tried to brace himself for another painful reveal to his friend.

"My father found a mate for me, or at least he's in negotiations with her family. We're supposed to have dinner together next week to make the final decisions," Adrian began, his voice barely above a whisper, hands clenched tightly in the bed covers.

Luka's eyes narrowed at the tension screaming through Adrian's body, he was pretty sure if he hadn't been on so many hormone suppressants he'd be reeking of stress and despair right now. Even so, his Alpha was keenly aware and beginning to pace restlessly. Luka hoped that he could hold himself together for Adrian's sake. "Who is it?"

"Kagami Tsurugi, a friend I've been in fencing practice with for years now. Her family is very influential in Asia and my father hopes to gain their favor by marrying us off. I haven't even had a chance to speak to Kagami about what she thinks yet, though I know her well enough that if her mother's made the decision then she'll follow through with it even if she doesn't want to. Her family is extremely traditional and it would be a huge disgrace if she opposed them," Adrian replied.

"What about you? Do you want to marry her?" Luka asked though he was pretty sure if this news had led to the panic attack earlier then the answer was clear.

Adrian shook his head vehemently, "I don't want to be forced into a marriage out of obligation. Kagami and I don't even see each other like that, and we'll spend the rest of our lives miserable in a loveless marriage. How are we even supposed to have children together?"

"I'm guessing you don't have any other more influential possible mates to come forward and claim you, do you?" Luka asked, earning another sad shake of the head from Adrian.

"The only other person I know who could even remotely be a candidate in my father's eyes would be Chloe, but I don't want to marry her either. I don't want to marry anyone if it has to be my father's choice, I'll live alone for the rest of my life!" Adrian said, his voice catching and cracking at the end. The last thing he wanted was to stay alone forever, he'd had plenty of that before getting the chance to go to school and make friends. The thought of going back to that made his heart clench so hard it hurt. 

Luka reached a hand out to gently tussle Adrian's hair, loving the feeling of those soft, silky locks passing through his fingers. "I'm sorry I don't have an answer on how to help you with this one Adrian. I still think 16 is a little young to get married, though I know some Omegas who have been claimed by now so they can get help through their heats. That still doesn't mean they're married, and if both partners find someone else later on that they love then usually they break up and move on. But if you and Kagami don't even love each other then just getting through the rest of your lives together is going to be hard, there's not going to be anyone to help you or her when you need it."

"How much worse is it going to get? I mean my heats haven't been great but I haven't had to miss many school days and I've been on the suppressants since I was 13," Adrian asked nervously.

"You shouldn't be on the suppressants at all for one, so I'm not sure how bad they usually are. However between the ages of 18 to 20 is when your body starts getting ready for children so they get worse, or so my mom's told me. That's when those suppressants are supposed to be used, for when you aren't planning on having kids and don't want a bunch of horny Alphas all over you," Luka smirked, as Adrian blushed and ducked his head at the thought.

"Right now I wish I had the Rabbit Miraculous, I'd go back in time and tell Kagami's mom not to ever speak to my father or maybe I could find someone for Kagami to date so this wouldn't even be an option," Adrian sighed, really seeing no way out of his predicament.

"I say you just find a willing Alpha and mate with them so at least it's your choice and not your father's. I mean that's the whole issue here, isn't it? To find someone you want?" Plagg interjected. "What about Luka? At least you two like each other and he already knows about you being an Omega and Cat Noir; it's perfect!"

Adrian's head shot up to look at Plagg is unrestrained shock, "What? Plagg that's crazy! Luka and I can't just mate because I don't want to be with Kagami."

"Why not? He just said people do it to help with their heats and then find who they love later on. It's either Luka or Chloe," Plagg stated, with a satisfied smirk as Adrian shuddered at the thought again.

"It doesn't matter Plagg, father would never agree to it anyway. In fact, he'd probably lock me in my room until the day I died," Adrian argued with a groan.

"It does give you another option, however, and Luka is not currently seeing anyone else," Sass added, glancing between Luka and Adrian.

Adrian scrambled off his bed, suddenly needing as much space between himself and Luka as possible. "No! Both of you stop even talking about it, it's not an option!"

Luka watched as Adrian stalked away from the bed, looking both completely depressed and annoyed. Plagg shrugged his shoulders and floated away to rummage in a small mini-fridge in the corner while Sass settled himself down on the comforter beside Luka.

"I know you and Adrian are friends, and you seem to be compatible in many other possible ways as well. Why is this so disagreeable? Would it not be better than this Kagami girl?" Sass asked, cocking his head to the side as Luka tried to come up with an answer.

"It's true that people mate to help with out of control heats, but usually there is a lot of discussion that goes into something like that, it's never a spur of the moment type thing. Adrian and I have known each other for years but we've hardly been able to hang out much because of his father and schedule, so intimately we don't know anything about each other. I don't even know if he likes guys," Luka said, earning a nod of understanding from Sass. Figuring it was about time he leaves, now that Adrian was fully out of his panic attack, Luka climbed out of the bed, straightened the covers and grabbed up his cell phone from the nightstand.  
"I'm sorry for just barging in Adrian, but before anyone figures out I'm here and starts wondering how I got in, I'd better head home," Luka said, as Adrian spun around from morosely staring out the window.

Adrian hurried back over to where Luka was standing, about to transform into Viperion once again and make an escape. "I'm sorry Plagg had to call you Luka, but I appreciate you coming over like that. And about what Plagg said..."

Luka smiled and settled a hand against the side of Adrian's neck, "I know and I don't take offense Adrian, he's only looking out for you. I wish I could help you so you wouldn't even have to worry about marrying Kagami, but honestly, your father would probably take one look at me and laugh himself into an early grave."

Adrian's brows furrowed and his hand came up to cup the hand against his neck, not wanting to lose the affectionate touch just yet. "Nobody would laugh at you Luka, you're a great guy, any girl would be lucky to have you, but I'm not sure we could pull off a stunt like that anyhow..."

"Ya, kinda hard when you're not even supposed to be around me or my family in case our bad influence rubs off on you. Besides it would take a heck of a lot of convincing to take a playboy heartthrob like you and make it seem like he chose the other team all of a sudden," Luka agreed. 

Adrian blushed at the comment and he turned his face into Luka's palm to hide. "I'm not like that at all, I've never even seriously dated anyone before. And you're certainly not a bad influence on me, you've never been anything but kind and understanding to me and those are both traits I don't see a lot of in my life. I wish I could find someone like you to date, Luka."

Luka's heart was twitching spastically in his chest and for some reason, he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if Adrian was interested in him. He couldn't let his fantasies wander too far down that road though, it would only lead to heartache and pain. Adrian was so vulnerable right now, so unsure and scared of the future and Luka wanted to hold him close and let his Alpha protect him forever. "I'd better go, 'cos if you keep looking at me like that and telling me how nice I am I'm afraid I'll never be able to leave."

Without another word, Luka transformed into Viperion, shot Adrian a wink, and leapt out his bedroom window. It immediately left Adrian feeling hollow and completely alone. He hated how needy he felt, like if Luka had given him the choice he would have begged him to stay rather than to face the rest of the day alone. "What have I done Plagg? Why do I feel this way whenever he leaves?"

"Um, maybe because you like him? More than you thought before? I'm telling you, kid, he'd be a heck of a better choice then Kagami. Not to mention you wouldn't have to hide me or the fact that you're Cat Noir anymore," Plagg replied.

Adrian slumped against the side of his window, staring out, hoping to catch a last glimpse of Viperion. "But I've never been with a guy before Plagg. How do I know I could mate with one?"

"Who's talking about mating? I'm just saying to pretend to be in love, which I don't think will be as hard as you think, to get your father off your back. Surely Kagami's mom wouldn't want her precious daughter mating with you if you've been seen in public wooing a strong, handsome, male Alpha," Plagg winked suggestively, earning a flush of embarrassment from Adrian.

"I don't know Plagg, the scandal could make my father angry and I don't want to use Luka like that," Adrian replied.

Plagg shrugged, "Ok kid, then let your father marry you to Kagami, keep taking those suppressants you hate for the rest of your life and be utterly miserable, it's your choice."

Three days later Luka got another text from Adrian, this time not all in capitalization so at least he knew it wasn't an emergency.

Luka read the text several times over before glancing at where Sass was resting on his pillows. "I think he's finally gone over the edge, there is no way he's considering it."

Sass came over and read the text as well, "Perhaps, but it does give you an opening you may have never gotten before. Do you want to take it?"

Luka gazed down at his phone again. This could backfire in more ways then Luka even wanted to think about. And it was crazy, completely insane in fact. But he had to admit that his Alpha was loving this idea and it was getting harder and harder every time he saw Adrian not to feel more and more for him in ways he wasn't yet ready to look at.

Adrian's shoulders fell at the text from Luka, he should have known that'd be his answer. Why was he even considering this? Oh ya, because Natalie had him fitted for a traditional oriental style suit just that afternoon for the dinner they were to have in a few days and he was panicking.

Luka scoffed at Adrian's reply, obviously, he didn't think so if he was asking about it again. Deciding this conversation was too intense for a text, he hit dial on Adrian's number and waited as the phone rang.

Adrain practically dropped his phone on the floor as it started ringing and vibrating in his hands a moment later, Luka's face lighting up the screen. "Ya, Luka, hi."

Luka chuckled at the fumbled greeting and could practically see Adrian blushing and floundering. "Hi back, are we really discussing this Adrian?"

Adrian gulped nervously, "I don't know, but I can't go through with this marriage Luka and I don't know how to tell my father. I'm tired of him calling all the shots and making my life a living hell. This is the one thing I should get to decide on and he's trying to take that from me. I really need help and I don't know what else to do."

"It's just until we convince your father that Kagami isn't the one you want, right?" Luka asked, feeling whatever resolve he had crumble away into dust.

"Ya, we probably don't even have to do too much, get seen out around town together like we're dating and maybe Kagami's mom will call the whole thing off herself," Adrian said, a hopeful tone in his voice.

Luka mentally groaned, even as he agreed. This was not going to end well, either he was going to wind up completely head over heels for Adrian and get his heartbroken by the end or Gabriel Agreste would threaten to castrate him if he came near his son and Adrian would wind up married by the end of the week. Hanging up his phone a few seconds later with Adrian sounding like he'd just been granted a reprieve from the gallows Luka wanted to throw himself into the river and drown. Considering how quickly his Alpha had responded to Adrian it was going to be very difficult to keep himself from treating him like the Omega he was and completely outting the boy. Perhaps it was a good thing that Adrian was on so many suppressants, there was no way it wouldn't become very clear, very fast if Adrian started mewling or rubbing against him in public, and wouldn't Gabriel Agreste have a fit if that was captured on video.

"This is the most popular and romantic restaurant in town, if people see us together here I'm sure a few pictures will be posted on social media before we've even gotten to the dessert," Adrian explained, leading Luka through the front doors.

Luka looked around hesitantly, it was true this place was everything Adrian had described, but it was also very upscale and expensive. Round two-seaters tables were sporadically placed throughout the main floor, crystal chandeliers provided low, mood-setting light, and a white grand piano in a far corner played soft tinkling melodies similar to wind chimes in a soft breeze. There was no way Luka could afford this for both of them and it made him extremely uneasy at how out of place he felt.

Adrian glanced up at Luka as the maitre d' looked up the reservation he'd made the day before. Luka's face was drawn tight, his lips downturned in a slight grimace as if he'd just bitten into a lemon and his hands were clenched into fists at his side. It was not a good way to start off their date and Adrian was immediately worried that Luka would make up some excuse to bail on him.

"Hey, are you alright? We don't have to stay if you don't want to. I guess I should have run this plan by you before I dragged you here, I'm so sorry Luka," Adrian said.

Luka's eyes snapped down to Adrian, seeing the dejected slump to his shoulders and he took a deep breath, trying to unclench his fists. "I'm sorry too Adrian, I guess I wasn't expecting all this for our first outing. I'm kinda new to all this."

Adrian smiled confidently, "I promise it's not as pretentious as it seems, the food here is really good and it's my treat since I'm trying to woo a strong, handsome Alpha to keep me from being married off by my father to some Beta I don't love."

Luka snicked at Adrian's reply, "After this is over maybe you should write a romance novel."

"Maybe, but only if I actually find romance from this, otherwise the ending is going to be pretty depressing," Adrian mused, following the waitress as she led them to a table in the corner with just enough privacy not to be overheard easily but within eyeshot of everyone in the room.

Conversation flowed easily between them as they discussed the menu, ordered, and then made small talk about the restaurant. The dinner was delicious and after his first bite, Adrian insisted on sharing it with Luka, holding a forkful across his plate for him to try. Feeling cheeky, Luka leaned forward and wrapped his lips around the fork, drawing back slowly while keeping eye contact with Adrian the entire time. Adrian nearly lost the fork as his entire body went numb at the sight and he quickly pulled it back before it clattered loudly to his plate. After that not much talking was required but Luka made sure to let out a few appreciative moans and groans over the food, pleased when Adrian blushed a bright red in response. By desert, Adrian's hands were shaking so badly and his nerves were so jangled that he kept them fisted in his napkin below the edge of the table. Luka noticed that the piece of cheesecake they'd ordered to split was studiously being ignored by Adrian, who kept looking anywhere else. Smirking once more, Luka spooned up a bite and held it out to Adrian who looked like he'd just developed lockjaw.

"Adrian, try a bite, please?" Luka cooed.

Adrian couldn't move, every muscle in his body had gone rigid, except for his heart that was trying to break through his rib cage. Was this what typical dates with other guys were like? He'd taken a few girls out before but he'd never experienced anything like this. He was a nervous wreck, Luka was looking at him in a way he couldn't even describe because nobody had ever looked at him that way and his low, sultry voice was making his brain malfunction. How in the world had this turned so upside down from just a pretend date to get a few pictures taken? 

Suddenly Luka had moved, faster than Adrian could even catch, and he was sitting directly next to him, the spoon still poised in his hand. "Come on, you let me try your food. It's only fair if I return the favor, right?"

Adrian nodded woodenly, his voice still completely out of commission and he opened his mouth just enough for Luka to slip the spoon inside. The cheesecake was heavenly, slowly melting on his tongue and making him moan in the most wanton way. It was more than enough to have Luka ready with a second bite and Adrian couldn't resist the offering. By the last bite, Luka's arm was around Adrian's shoulders holding him close, while the blonde's head was pillowed on his bicep, his face occasionally rubbing against Luka's chest as he lost himself in the delicious treat. Propriety had been completely thrown out the window as the two cuddled in public, making several of the other patrons stare openly or discreetly try to take pictures with their cell phones when they recognized Adrian Agreste. At the moment Adrian could not have cared less where they were as long as this moment continued indefinitely. Luka was a warm, solid presence around him, constantly feeding him the best cheesecake he'd ever had and the smell of contented Alpha coming off him was making his head fuzzy and body calm.

Luka would have loved to have stayed like that for the rest of the night but eventually, the waitress came to remove their plates and deliver their bill. Gently Luka pulled himself away from Adrian, causing the boy to look up at him in question, still slightly dazed from all the positive affection. Luka tried not to cuss himself out at seeing the besotted look on his friend's face, realizing suddenly that he may have taken things way too far for someone as inexperienced as Adrian. Once the bill was paid and they made their way out into the fresh night air, Luka made sure to give Adrian plenty of breathing room. Slowly but surely the fog seemed to lift from his eyes and as they strolled along the street, Adrian's pleased look became one of concern.

"Luka, what happened? I remember eating dinner, we got dessert and suddenly everything is hazy. Did I get akumatized?!" Adrian asked, panic flooding his body.

Luka was instantly shaking his head and resisting the urge to reach out and soothe Adrian. "No, nothing like that. It was all my fault actually, I shouldn't have gotten so close, my Alpha got a bit possessive I guess and you got overwhelmed by the pheromones." Adrian only looked confused at the explanation and Luka let out a huff, not sure how to explain it all. "You're not used to being physically close to an Alpha, are you?"

Adrian shifted uneasily and stared down at his shoes. "The only Alpha I'm around much is my father and well, he's not real big on any displays of affection. Otherwise, there are only a few in my class, why?"

"Because I'm an idiot Adrian for not considering that. You may be on suppressants but that only means I can't smell you at all, I can't gauge how you're reacting to me, while you can smell me and you don't know how an Alpha's scent can affect you," Luka sighed, rubbing a hand tiredly across his face.

"Affect me? Luka, what happened back there? Did I do something wrong?" Adrian asked, glancing uneasily back towards the restaurant, worried people would start coming out of the doors, pointing and laughing at him.

"We really need to talk more about this, but it's not the sort of discussion made for the middle of the sidewalk. Come back to the Liberty with me?" Luka offered, holding out a hand.

Adrian's nerves were once again feeling frazzled and on edge but this time it was making him feel rather nauseous. This was supposed to be a nice evening out with his friend and now he was dreading some major discussion that would probably upend everything once more after he did who knows what in a very public setting. How many people in there had seen it? How bad was the fallout going to be? Had he just completely ruined things with Luka?

Adrian hadn't taken Luka's hand on the walk back to the Liberty and Luka figured that was probably for the best. His brain was in a complete mad scramble trying to figure out how he was going to explain what had happened earlier without freaking Adrian out any worse. He was clearly agitated, he'd refused to look at Luka the entire walk back, kept nearly three feet between them at all times and looked like he was about to up and bolt at any given moment. Luka wanted nothing more than to assure Adrian that none of this was his fault, that he was an Omega, and how he'd reacted to his own Alpha was perfectly natural. But Adrian wasn't supposed to be an Omega, he was pretending to be a Beta and they just simply didn't swoon under an Alpha's presence to the same extent. The whole dynamic was confusing, hard to understand at the best of times, especially since when you put in different emotions, situations and the person's own personalities things could change a million different ways. If he'd been out with another Omega and done the same things, they may not have liked Luka getting so close, they may have become defensive and backed off. 

"So how bad was I in there?" Adrian finally asked as Luka gestured towards two deck chairs once they'd gotten aboard the Liberty.

"You weren't bad at all Adrian, at least you didn't do anything that would overly embarrass you. No tabletop dancing or anything," Luka replied with a smirk.

Adrian let out a whoosh of air in relief, sagging bonelessly back into his chair. "Thank goodness, I was afraid my father would have to buy out a couple of newspapers just to do damage control tomorrow."

Luka shook his head, "Nothing like that, I promise. You might see some pictures of the two of us cuddling while I spoon-fed you cheesecake, but I've seen worse done by couples in broad daylight on park benches."

Adrian's mouth went slack, his left eye twitching slightly as he tried to picture the two of them doing that. "Why don't I remember any of that?"

Again Luka sighed heavily and hung his head, "Because I didn't realize until it was too late how far it had gone. I guess I figured you were just playing along, and it certainly looked convincing that we were a couple so I didn't question it. This is why it's dangerous not to know how you react as an Omega. I already know you're a very tactile person and you appreciate praise and affection which can make you susceptible to being overwhelmed when given in large doses." Adrian still looked confused so Luka reached out and tugged him out of his chair and into his lap. 

"Luka, what are you doing?" Adrian asked.

"Telling you isn't going to help, you need to see and feel the difference. I promise you'll be fine, we're completely safe from prying eyes and I won't go very far," Luka reassured him, settling back in his chair and pulling Adrian closer against his chest. "With the suppressants, it makes it impossible to feel your Omega or how it's reacting to me, so I need you to tell me what you're experiencing." Adrian gulped nervously and nodded, trying to relax in Luka's arms. "Close your eyes and feel."

Luka slowly tipped Adrian back until his head was resting on Luka's shoulder and then began running his hands slowly up and down his arms. Seconds ticked by and gradually Adrian began to relax, his back loosening as he realized nothing was going to hurt him, Luka was simply holding him. It was rather awkward bending backward across Luka's lap however and Adrian started to squirm uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?" Luka asked.

"I want to move, can I curl up more?" Adrian asked hesitantly.

"Sure, get yourself comfy, then tell me how you feel," Luka replied.

Adrian shifted onto his left side, gripping Luka's shirt in his hands he pulled his legs up and bent them at the knees so he was cradled on Luka's lap. Luka's arms encircled him, holding him close and Adrian smiled. "I feel good, happy like I just want to keep getting closer."

Luka reached up and brushed a hand through Adrian's hair, scratching gently at his scalp, earning a contented purr from the blonde as he pressed his face into Luka's neck. "What now?"

"I like that when you play with my hair," Adrian replied, nuzzling his nose into the crook of Luka's collarbone. "You smell good too, and your skin is really soft here...that's totally weird of me to say, isn't it?"

Luka chuckled, "That's called scenting, we have a gland right under the skin that lets everyone around us know how we're feeling. Usually close family greet each other by pressing noses there, everyone's scent is unique so when one member is agitated or distressed, the calming scent of another can help. Right now I'm very relaxed, and your Omega is picking up on it and relaxing to mimic it."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know," Adrian said, pulling his face away from Luka's neck. He'd had the insane urge to lick and nibble at the soft skin there and he mentally berated himself for such bizarre thoughts. "So this is what happened earlier then? 

"Sort of, I was so happy and relaxed that you instinctively picked up on it and your Omega acted to keep me that way," Luka replied.

"How can I avoid it in the future? I mean what if I'm out with someone else and I start acting weird again?" Adrian asked.

"I'd tell you to stop taking your suppressants so you have a better feel for your Omega, but I know that's not an option so I'd suggest practicing and trying to avoid being around any strange Alphas until you've got a better handle on everything," Luka suggested. 

"How long do you think that'll take? And how much practicing are we talking about?" Adrian asked, skeptically, tensing up again in Luka's arms.

Luka shushed him again, using a hand to gently press Adrian's head back into the crook of his shoulder. "I don't have an answer to the first question, but if you keep coming around, I promise to help in any way I can. I don't know if this whole pretend dating scheme is going to work or not, but it is important for you to learn how to act around other Alphas. Your nature dictates that you submit 100% to them, no matter what. If they're angry with you then you'll find yourself automatically wanting to appease them, your mouth will say whatever it needs to in order to make them happy and you might find yourself on your knees with your neck bared in a submissive position. Instinct is going to take over if you try fighting it to protect yourself. You need to learn to stay calm, keep as much physical distance as you can, and think through the problem so you don't overreact."

Adrian wrapped his arms around Luka's middle and let himself breathe in the warm, musky scent of the Alpha. He was surprised to find his whole body going limp and the stress leaving him physically. "I've never felt this way with anyone, I mean Nino's an Alpha but I've never wanted to sit in his lap or sniff his neck. Why is it so different with you Luka?"

"Different pheromones make our bodies react in different ways. Usually, the right ones tell us who we're compatible with for mating. Some you're going to like more than others," Luka replied, getting a wide-eyed stare from the blonde. "That doesn't necessarily mean we're compatible or that we're destined for each other. Do you even like guys that way?"

"I don't know really, I've only ever had a crush on two girls before. I guess since I'm so busy all the time I haven't had a chance to find out. The few times my father and I discussed me dating he said I needed to focus on my studies and career and that there would be time for sowing my oats later," Adrian admitted with a blush, ducking his face under Luka's chin.

Luka chuckled, "Sowing your oats, huh? That's such a parent thing to say. But without any prior experience then finding the right mate for you is going to be like finding a needle in a haystack."

"Maybe I should put out an ad, or hold a contest. Be the first to win Adrian Agreste's heart and you'll have Paris' very own most eligible 16 year old as your personal model for the rest of your life," Adrian snickered.

Luka gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes and scoffed, "There would be a line from your front door to the Berlin wall. However, if this pretend date with me plan doesn't work I'd say that might be a viable second option. At the very least it would take months if not years to get through all the potential candidates, which would hold off your father for a while."

Adrian and Luka sat together on the deck of the Liberty, listening to the river lap gently against the hull of the houseboat as it rocked the two into a light doze. Hours later as the wind picked up, a shiver of cold air roused Adrian and he blinked groggily trying to remember where he was. "Luka, wake up, please. I've gotta get home."

Luka's teal blue eyes squinted blearily at Adrian, then popped open wide as the night air chilled his exposed skin where the blonde had been pressed up against. "Crap, what time is it?"

"I have no idea but it feels late, I've gotta get home before my father or Natalie realize I'm not in my room already," Adrian replied, carefully climbing off Luka's lap and stretching from his curled sleeping position. "You know normally cats don't mind sleeping like that but maybe next time we could try a bed."

Luka snorted in surprise at the comment, still not quite awake enough for the verbal banter, "Ya, I'll keep that in mind."

"Well, I had a really good time tonight, from what I can remember anyway. Thanks for being my date Luka, I really appreciate the help with everything," Adrian said, moving in quickly before he lost his nerve and kissing Luka on the cheek before darting back across the deck of the Liberty towards the gangplank with a wave.

Luka's hand reached up automatically to wave back, his brain still trying to process Adrian's move. He could practically see his Alpha smirking satisfactorily as if he had been waiting patiently for that all night. But there was no way that kiss meant any more than a simple goodbye between friends. Adrian was a very touchy-feely person once he felt comfortable with you, platonic kisses were probably part of the package. Not to mention Adrian wasn't exactly up to speed on behavior codes between friends, maybe that was something he did with Marinette, Nino, Alya, and the others? Although if Adrian ever kissed Marinette on the cheek the poor girl probably would have had a heart attack or spontaneously combusted with how she usually overreacted around him. Luka chuckled quietly at the thought. It was too bad he hadn't had a chance to get a picture of himself and Adrian together this evening, he would have loved to have seen the look on Marinette's face if he sent her that. Perhaps there would be a worthy one posted on social media come morning that he could save.

"Adrian, what is this?" Gabriel Agreste demanded, striding into the dining room the next evening while Adrian was eating dinner. 

Adrian put his fork down and gazed at the headline across the food section of the local newspaper, 'Adrian Agreste Romances Mystery Man'. Underneath was a small write up about who the mystery man possibly was he'd been spotted with, a background of those he'd previously dated and a very grainy cell phone image of Luka and him cozied up together at a table. Adrian looked from the paper to his father's stony, irritated face, and felt his mouth go dry.

"Natalie has assured me that this is the only newspaper that had this story or picture, so hopefully it won't gain too much traction. But I want an explanation Adrian, who is that you're with?" Gabriel asked.

"Luka Coffaine, we recently met back up again and I asked him out," Adrian replied, his eyes straying back to the picture. 

"I know we've had the discussion many times about how your actions may reflect on your career and the Agreste brand. You should know by now something like this never stays quiet long Adrian, there will be rumors, gossip and eventually, I'll have to make some sort of public announcement to smooth things over. You cannot afford bad publicity at this stage, especially at the hands of the Coffaines. I warned you about sullying your name with their association, so this must stop immediately. Do not contact that boy in any way, I absolutely forbid it," Gabriel instructed, turning to look at his assistant. "Natalie, keep an eye on Adrian's cell phone and emails, block all the Coffaines. I don't want any scandal starting up that they're trying to sleaze their way into our family." Natalie nodded and quickly tapped something onto her tablet.

Adrian felt as if all the air had been sucked out of his lungs. The Coffaines were good people, Luka would never take advantage of him like that. And 'sleaze their way into the family', what did that even mean? "I won't stay away from Luka father, he's my friend."

Gabriel turned back to stare down at Adrian, his gaze piercing and brooking no argument. "I am trying to protect you son, the Coffaines are nothing but trouble. How many times has his mother been in the newspaper for some ridiculous riot she's started? That boy has had terrible influences since the day he was born and I'd expect nothing good to come from being around him. You'd wind up in jail or worse and I won't have it. Discussions with the Tsurugi's are already well underway, so you will stop fraternizing with Mr. Coffaine or prepare to be homeschooled until you graduate college."

Adrian pushed back his chair and stood, taking a few deep breaths to try and get his shaking under control. "I don't want to marry Kagami, father, I want to choose my own mate."

Gabriel scoffed in derision and rolled his eyes, "I really don't have time for this Adrian, I am looking out for what's best for your future. Everyone thinks you're a Beta, they expect a certain standard when dealing with our family. Nobody will respect us when they find out you're an Omega. I am trying to save you from the humiliation and scorn you'll face."

"Luka wouldn't care about that, and maybe nobody else would either, but you've never given me a chance to find out. I have no idea how to act as an Omega, I don't know what I'm supposed to do. How am I supposed to marry Kagami and take care of her?" Adrian asked, feeling his heart rate spike in anxiety.

"Of course they'd care if they knew, Omegas are sluts and whores. They are used to breed and nothing else. You'll be expected to lay on your back, legs spread wide while some over testosterone-driven Alpha uses you for his own pleasure. Does that sound like the kind of life you want Adrian? Now please, drop all of this nonsense, I don't want to hear another word about the Coffaines," Gabriel said, earning a startled look from Adrian at the depiction before striding purposefully out.

Adrian couldn't think of any way to respond, his brain having a hard time connecting the images his father painted with the people he knew who were Omegas. Juleka, Luka's sister was an Omega but the shyest girl he'd ever met. His father probably would have gotten a black eye if Anarka had heard that description of her daughter. And worse yet, he was an Omega, and that was how his father saw him, as a slut, as someone who wanted nothing more than to be bred repeatedly by whatever Alpha would do so. A sick ball formed in Adrian's stomach as the thought took root. It's no wonder his father could never get physically close to him. Did all Alphas think that about Omegas? Did Nino think that about him? Did Luka see him that way? Did either of them want him like that? Bile surged into Adrian's throat and he choked it back down, taking a swig of his water glass to wash the burn away. Adrian glanced up to see Natalie standing in the corner of the room, a sad, pitying look on her face and it was the last straw he could stand. "Tell my father I'm going to study at the library and I'll be back in a few hours if he asks."

"So Adrian Agreste, huh?" Juleka asked, a smirk on her face as she teased Luka at the dinner table.

"It was one date Jules, and it was pretend. It didn't mean anything, just helping him try to get his father off his back about marrying some girl he doesn't like," Luka explained, eyes darting back to the picture in the paper his sister had shoved under his nose.

"Well I don't get the big hubbub about dating a model, but Adrian always struck me as a very nice young man who had his head on straight," Anarka commented with a nod.

"Think his father is gonna flip out when he sees this?" Juleka asked, motioning to the newspaper clipping featuring him and Adrian. "From what I've heard, he's got the shortest temper in the entire universe."

Luka swallowed hard, it had been a serious concern when he and Adrian had first talked about it. He hadn't gotten a frantic text from either him or Plagg yet so maybe there was hope. Pulling out his cell phone he typed a quick text to Adrian just in case. Two seconds later it dinged, letting him know the number was either wrong or out of service. Luka stared down at the words and double-checked the number, but it was the same one he'd used just yesterday. "Jules, do you have Adrian's number?"

"Yes, but don't you?" Juleka asked in confusion.

"Ya but I just tried texting him and it's telling me it's the wrong number. Can you try?" Luka replied. Juleka nodded and sent off a quick text, only to get the same response. 

"That's weird," Juleka said, holding up the phone to show Luka the message. "Let me ask Marinette, I know she's got his number too." Luka waited impatiently, his food growing cold as his stomach became completely uninterested. "She just gave me the same number we already have."

"Something's wrong, I'm gonna go over and see Adrian," Luka decided, quickly cleaning up his dishes and heading out the door before either of his family could protest. Just as Luka was making his way across the deck, however, Adrian came up the gangplank, hesitating as he saw Luka about to leave.

"Sorry I didn't call first, you're probably busy. That was stupid..." Adrian rambled, his voice getting caught in his throat as Luka let out a heavy relieved sigh. Luka picked up his pace across the deck and swiftly pulled the blonde into a firm hug. Adrian couldn't help wrap his arms around Luka in response, burying his face in the young man's shoulder as his entire body seemed to crumple.

"He didn't take it well, huh?" Luka asked softly, earning a choked bark of laughter as Adrian desperately tried to keep his emotions in check. He had learned years ago bursting into tears every time his father and he disagreed on something was exhausting and gave him a nasty migraine. He couldn't even bear to think about how Luka would respond if he'd come over bawling like a baby, whining about how mean his father was to him. But the words his father had practically spit in his face closed his throat on any more replies and made his eyes sting painfully. 

Adrian gently pulled away from the embrace, taking a deep breath and avoiding Luka's gaze. "I just wanted to talk, but I know you're probably busy so I'd better get back home before my father realizes I didn't go to the library as I said."

Luka may not have been able to smell or feel Adrian's Omega but his body language was screaming out loud and throwing up red flags. "The only thing I'm busy with right now is you, Adrian. I was coming to see you; I saw the paper this morning."

Adrian nodded, his hands clenching and unclenching by his sides. "I didn't realize how badly this was going to look for you. You're trying to promote your band and I selfishly put you in the spotlight as my date. That's not the kind of attention you want, I'm so sorry Luka."

Luka's breath stuttered out and his brows furrowed in confusion. This was not the way he'd thought the conversation was going to go. However, taking all the blame for a bad situation and turning it all on himself was completely an Adrian move and Luka momentarily felt a surge of affection for the blonde. Reaching out he cupped the side of Adrian's face with his hand, brushing his thumb across his cheek. "I'm so not mad at you Adrian, I don't care what the newspapers say about me, especially about who I'm dating, pretend or otherwise. I had a really good time the other night, and I'd do it again, even if they knew who I was. I was however worried about you and what your father's reaction was. So please talk to me, tell me what happened."

Adrian forcefully swallowed back the jumbled confession he wanted to blurt out, the words tasting like acid on his tongue. But the sincere, caring look Luka was giving him was dulling the knife-edge his father had metaphorically plunged into his heart earlier and he steeled his resolve. "Ya he was pretty upset, he was afraid it would ruin my reputation and mess things up with the proposal to the Tsurugi's."

"What did you tell him? Did you say you didn't want to go through with the marriage?" Luka asked.

"Yes, but he said it was important to uphold the Gabriel brand and that this union could secure my entire future," Adrian replied, trying to make it sound completely nonchalant.

Luka was beginning to get a headache, why was Adrian completely dancing around the issue, and acting like it was no big deal? The first look he'd gotten as Adrian had shambled up the gangplank had been so raw, hurt, angry, and open he'd taken his friend into his arms without a second thought. If Adian had asked, Luka would have done literally anything to erase that look from his face permanently. He'd almost expected him to say his father had bumped up the marriage in response and he'd come to say goodbye. 

Taking Adrian's hand, Luka led him across the deck and below to where his bedroom was. His mom and sister had made themselves scarce for which he was eternally grateful and would thank them for later. Adrian didn't put up any argument as Luka pulled him into his room, shut the door, and pointed at the bed, "make yourself comfortable."

Adrian perched on the edge of the bed, glancing around the room. It had changed slightly since the last time he'd seen it, a few years ago but it clearly expressed Luka's personality and Adrian felt both comforted by it and uneasy. Luka should be mad at him, just the same way his father had been. He was a useless, waste of perfectly good breeding and talent that should just resign himself to a life of satisfying whichever powerful Alphas deigned to use him for their pleasure. He was an Omega after all and didn't deserve anything more, it was exactly why his father had lied about him being a Beta all these years. In fact, he should thank his father, get down on his knees, and worship his forethought for trying to save him from such a disgusting fate. If he was really lucky the Tsurugis wouldn't see the newspaper and would still want him to marry their daughter, then he could hopefully get her pregnant as soon as possible and live out the rest of his life mindlessly working for his father. 

Luka shut the bedroom door and turned around to see Adrian curiously looking at his room before his eyes darkened and his head bowed. He'd gone from quietly dismissive to completely withdrawn and depressed in less than a heartbeat. Crouching in front of Adrian, Luka placed both his hands on his knees and glanced up at him from underneath the fringe of blonde locks that were effectively hiding his expressive green eyes. "Hey, whatever is going on up there in that overcrowded brain of yours, tell it to slow down. I'm pretty good at reading expressions and feelings but yours are moving faster than a bullet train and unless you're going to tell me what's going on I'm going to have a hard time keeping up."

Adrian sighed, "I'm going to go through with the marriage, it's really the only chance I've got. It makes a lot of sense and my father was right."

Luka almost lost his balance and fell over in surprise, "What? Adrian, you can't mean that, and no it doesn't make any sense, except in your father's egomaniacal brain."

"I'm just an Omega, Luka! I'm not worth anything to anyone except my father. I've got a good job secured for me, right now as a model, and later once I graduate from college I'll inherit the Gabriel band; most people would kill for an opportunity like that," Adrian argued, feeling the anger and resentment boil up inside him from earlier. 

Luka stood up, taking a step back from Adrian, trying to keep his temper in check. He absolutely hated it when someone would talk down about Omegas as if they barely deserved the air to breathe. He knew the words Adrian had just thoughtlessly flung at him came from his father, it was like a rehearsed speech. Obviously, Gabriel Agreste had more influence over Adrian then Luka was even aware of and it worried the heck out of him. Luka didn't want to yell at Adrian, didn't want to make him feel like he was backed into any more of a corner than Gabriel had already done to him. "I've never seen Omegas as worthless Adrian. I know several of them, my sister Juleka included, you know that too. And I know you, you may put on an act around most people, the Gabriel band face that you put out there for the papers and your fans, but I saw past that years ago. You have a passion for art and music that isn't something your father could force on you. You love puns, especially cat-related ones; Cat Noir. You're fiercely loyal to your friends, and you've stood up to your father in their defense many times. I'm really sorry your father has a poor attitude towards Omegas, but that's his problem, not yours and not mine."

Adrian looked up at Luka who stood leaning against his dresser, his teal blue eyes boring into him in a look he couldn't shy away from. "I never meant to insult Juleka, I'm sorry Luka. I'm really glad you don't think that way about Omegas, I'm glad you got to see me for who I want to be and not what I am. But it won't matter to other people, they know what Omegas are really like and they'd never trust me to run father's company."

"Which other people are we talking about? And what do they think Omegas are really like?" Luka asked, his anger cooling at the melancholy in Adrian's tone.

Adrian winced at the questions, did Luka really not know the truth? He didn't want to imply Juleka was like other Omegas, just the thought of her throwing herself at any willing Alpha caused his stomach to sour. But his father had no good reason to lie to him, he'd been trying to protect him his whole life so he wouldn't be reduced to such humiliation. Maybe Anarka had done the same sort of thing by not telling either of her own children. It was going to enrage Luka, Adrian knew it, it had done the same to him but he didn't know how to get around the question without making the implications it was bad. "The media, investors in father's company, they'll all find out and then spin it to make me out as unreliable and untrustworthy."

"Why would they do that Adrian? What does being an Omega have to do with it at all?" Luka asked, his frustration at the circles they were continuing to dance bleeding through.

"Omegas aren't good at things like running a business, we're all..." Adrian couldn't finish the sentence, tears blurred his vision and suddenly it was hard to breathe. He took several deep gulps of air, trying to steady himself, but his father's sneering tone of voice kept repeating the words over and over in his head. He couldn't say them out loud, not to Luka, he wouldn't be able to handle the dawning realization on his face that his father was right. Oh, how his chest hurt! Each inhalation of air burned like fire, and black spots were beginning to cloud the edges of his vision. He desperately needed to make up an excuse and get out of Luka's room, off the Liberty, and back home where he could burrow under the safety of his blankets for the rest of his life.

Luka waited a heartbeat with bated breath as Adrian broke off whatever it was he was about to say. Suddenly Adrian's hand was clutching at his chest and his breathing took on a very familiar wheezing rattle that sent a spike of terror through Luka. "Adrian?" Luka asked, sitting next to him on the bed. But the blonde seemed to have gone deaf to his voice as the panic attack took hold. "Adrian I need you to breathe for me. Remember, just like last time." Luka pulled Adrian into his lap, cradling his face against the crook of his neck, hoping his scent would calm him. "Feel my heartbeat and try to slow yours down."

Adrian could feel the grip Luka had on his hand, their fingers intertwined, Luka's black nail polish shiny against his own pale skin. Trying to take in a deep breath, Luka's scent filled his nostrils, instantly calming the inferno that was burning in his chest. He raised his other arm and curled in around Luka's back, gripping the material of his shirt in a shaky fist. The panic attack left him weak, sick to his stomach, and scared. He really didn't like the feeling of these, and what happened if Luka wasn't around when he had one? Would he ever be able to pull himself out? The thought brought an involuntary whine to his throat and he curled closer to Luka.

Luka let out a breath of relief when Adrian's arm that had been lying limp in his lap moved around him in a tight grip and his face pressed harder against his neck, a deep, ragged inhale from the blonde helping him relax. Adrian's pounding heart slowed gradually as a needy, painful whine made Luka's heart crack in two. Whatever it was that Adrian had been about to say had completely shattered this emotionally fragile Omega, and it was enough for Luka's Alpha to want to rip out Gabriel Agreste's throat. Needing to keep his anger down to stay calm for Adrian, Luka began to softly hum a tune he'd heard earlier and for some reason was now stuck in his head. "You and I in a little toy shop, buy a bag of balloons with the money we've got."

Adrian glanced up at Luka as his smooth baritone began to sing a song he'd never heard. It was slow with long beautifully drawn out endings and lyrics that created an entire storyline in Adrian's imagination. He watched, completely captivated as Luka sang for him, immediately loving the song while his fingers began to itch to accompany him on the keyboard. "My English isn't great, so I couldn't understand all of it but that wonderful," Adrian said, as Luka finished.

"I heard the original version in German today, and then found the English version with a translation and for some reason I suddenly had it playing in my head. Guess it needed to be sung," Luka replied, giving Adrian a warm smile.

Adrian felt a blush heating his cheeks suddenly and he bashfully smiled back. "Maybe we could find some sheet music for it later and try playing it as a duet?" 

Luka's smile broadened, "Absolutely, I think we could put a hard rock spin on it and it would sound awesome."

"I kind of liked the way you sang it too though, could we play with a slower, classical style version as well?" Adrian asked.

"I'm not sure I could do it justice, my classical is pretty rough on an electric guitar but if you'd like we can certainly try," Luka replied.

"You don't have an acoustic guitar?" Adrian asked, looking surprised.

"Naw, I've never needed one. I've never really wanted to play Bach or Beethoven, most of what I play I hear in my heart and it comes out perfect for the electric guitar. Lots of high notes, maybe some long chords, drawn out to express a point of longing or pain. My guitar is able to make what I hear translate for others, turn their emotions into audible sound. I don't think an acoustic guitar could do the same thing for me," Luka explained. 

Adrian nodded in understanding, he'd gone from years of playing the piano and certain types of songs to trying to do the same thing with a keyboard at Luka's insistence and realized it just wasn't going to work. He'd had to figure out a new way to play, classical sounded wonderful on a grand piano, but playing from his heart, letting his emotions carry the music sounded completely different on a keyboard. "I think I get Luka, some songs I really connect with on my piano back home, but when I played your keyboard I was able to break away from the sheet music and let what was inside me out. The idea kinda scared me at first, I didn't know how to just play what I felt but now there are times when no matter what I play on the piano it doesn't sound right because it's not what I'm hearing in my head."

"I really wish I could hear you play more Adrian, I think it would be my favorite soundtrack," Luka admitted, nuzzling affectionately at the blonde hair.

Adrian sighed contentedly, gently rubbing his nose along Luka's throat, the Alpha stretching out his neck to let him get more contact. "I wish I could stay here forever and play whenever I felt like it. No more required practice, no more recitals, no more scales, and chords until my fingers are cramped. And I want someone who actually enjoys listening to what I'm playing."

"You can play for me anytime you want Adrian, whatever you want, fast, slow, happy, sad, angry. I'll listen to any of it, I promise," Luka said.

Adrian couldn't help himself any longer, "I want to lick your neck".

Luka's heart skipped several beats and he forgot to breathe for a moment. He should probably tell Adrian no and untangle himself from the boy, but at the same time, he really liked the idea of Adrian doing that. "That's kind of an intimate thing to do. I don't want you to do anything you don't want to, but you need to understand what that could mean."

"What could it mean? That we're dating? More than that?" Adrian asked.

"It doesn't necessarily mean that, but it can lead to more if we let it. More physically that is, like kissing and touching, which I know you're not really experienced with," Luka explained.

Adrian thought about it for a minute. Did he want to get physical with Luka or was it just Omega hormones talking? "I wish I could tell the difference between what I want and what my Omega wants."

Luka sighed, he could only imagine how difficult this was beginning to become for Adrian. Before he had no idea that there was even a difference, and now he was second-guessing everything he thought. "I don't know if it will actually help or just confuse you more, which I really don't want to happen, but if you want to try you can. We can take it slow, one thing at a time. Just be honest and tell me what you're feeling and thinking, okay?"

Adrian looked up at Luka, teal blue eyes looking sincere and perhaps a touch weary. This was obviously all new to him as well, which both reassured Adrian and scared him knowing they were both jumping into the deep end not sure if they could swim. But even if once Adrian tried something more intimate with Luka, if he didn't like it or Luka didn't like it at least they would both know for sure. This guessing, constantly wondering was driving Adrian crazy, he wanted a solid answer. So without another moment to spare Adrian tilted his head to the side, closed his eyes, took a deep breath to engulf himself in Luka's heavenly scent, and gently dragged the tip of his tongue from the edge of Luka's collarbone up to his jaw.

Luka sat stock still as he felt the warm wetness of Adrian's tongue, barely daring to draw a breath in case it would frighten him off. It was a slightly unusual sensation, not one he'd ever had before but found a shiver tingling up his spine in reaction. Realizing that Luka wasn't shoving him off the bed, Adrian tipped forward again and this time licked from the edge of his jaw up to his earlobe. Luka felt his entire body break out in goosebumps as Adrian's tongue tickled behind his ear, then soft lips encased his earlobe and gently suckled. 

Luka let out the most amazing whimper Adrian had ever heard when he began sucking on his earlobe and he suddenly wanted to hear it a lot more. What other places could he taste that would make him sound like that? Pulling back a bit, he looked at Luka who had his eyes closed, head tilted to the right to give Adrian more room and his mouth was open slightly, breath uneven and quick. "I actually liked doing that, you?"

Luka's brain was completely misfiring at this point and he only heard the last word Adrian said. "What?"

Adrian chuckled, "I kinda liked doing that to you, especially hearing your reaction."

Luka nodded eagerly, wondering how much more adventurous Adrian felt like getting tonight. "Did you want to try anything else?"

Adrian blushed, "I'm not really sure, that was completely spontaneous. I've never wanted to do that to anyone before. Do you want to do anything?"

"I could do what you just did," Luka suggested, not wanting to push any further than Adrian had already gone. Even though his brain was happy to supply all sorts of ideas.

"Ok," Adrian replied, not entirely sure he'd like it as much as Luka did.

Seeing the hesitation and the way Adrian immediately stiffened up, Luka quickly changed tactics. "Let me try something else. You can stop me anytime you don't like it okay?"

Adrian's shoulders relaxed and he nodded, then Luka wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him so he was straddling Luka's lap, facing him. Then he picked up one of Adrian's hands and began running his fingers along the back, sending tingles up his arm. Luka gave him a reassuring smile and bent down, laying gentle, soft kisses one after another on each of his knuckles. Slowly he began to kiss across his hand, turning it over he kissed the palm and the tips of his fingers before working up to his wrist and up the inside of his arm to the bend of his elbow where he turned the arm back over and worked his way down again. By the time Luka had made a full circuit Adrian's blood was coursing through his veins like molten magma and he'd completely lost the ability to speak. Adrian just nodded emphatically when Luka looked up at him to gauge his reaction, wondering how he could convey how much he wanted that to continue without words. Somehow Luka seemed to get the hint and as he started all over again, suddenly the tip of his tongue was delving between each of his fingers and lapping devilishly at the underside of his wrist and Adrian was sure his brain had just melted. 

Luka kept sneaking glances at Adrian from under his lashes as he kissed and licked at a few of his most tender spots along his arm. Taking a risk, he nipped gently with his teeth from Adrian's wrist to his elbow, earning a breathy moan that made him smile in accomplishment. Finishing at the elbow, Luka worked up to Adrian's shoulder, kissing and nibbling as he pushed his shirt sleeve up. Then he moved on to the collarbone just visible through the top of Adrian's t-shirt, hearing the labored breathing and gasping pants he was reduced to. By the time he was ready for the neck, Adrian was already stretching his head to the side. Luka grinned and buried his face in the scent gland, still only able to get a whiff of his cologne. But now he had an excuse to try licking it all off, see if he could get to something more natural underneath. 

Adrian couldn't hold back the pleasured whimpers and moans that escaped his lips at the sensations Luka was able to cause with his mouth. He'd never felt so fired up and completely relaxed at the same time. When Luka had met resistance with his shirt sleeve he'd almost offered to completely ditch it, and any other article of clothing that would stop him from doing that to the rest of him. 

Luka's arm quickly snapped around Adrian's waist as the blonde leaned over so far while he was sucking hickeys onto his neck that he nearly fell off the bed. Pulling Adrian close, their bodies pressed from groin to chest, Luka couldn't help a shiver of pleasure as he felt how much his attention was being appreciated. Luka could barely hold himself back from bucking his hips up into the hardness that was now firmly against his stomach and mirrored his own. If they did go much further Luka wasn't sure he'd be able to stop and that thought scared him a bit. Why was it Adrian was affecting him so much so fast? Was it that he was an Omega? Was it that he hadn't been with anyone in nearly a year and was almost as starved for physical affection as Adrian? Or was it Adrian himself that he was attracted to?

Adrian's brain eventually cleared enough to realize that Luka had stopped moving altogether once he'd pulled him closer and his forehead was resting heavily on his shoulder. "Luka, are you alright?"

Luka's face swiveled to the side to look at him, "Yeah, just got a little too worked up and I promised I wouldn't take it too far, remember?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, I guess I wasn't paying attention. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do either Luka and you can stop anytime," Adrian replied, repeating his own words from earlier.

"So what were you feeling while I was doing that? Anything you didn't like specifically?" Luka asked.

"I'm still not sure why I wanted to lick your neck before, it was like suddenly the idea was in my head and I couldn't get it out. But then when you offered to do it, it sounded weird and gross. The kisses didn't bother me, I think picking my hand to start on was probably the best idea. I liked you licking my fingers and wrist, I had no idea it could feel that good," Adrian admitted, his gaze darting away as a blush heated his face. 

Luka grinned, glad that Adrian had liked what he'd done. "The reason you probably didn't like the idea of me licking your neck right away is because it's a very vulnerable area. I knew you weren't going to hurt me, and I have some experience with being intimate with other people so I know that can feel good but your instinct is to protect it. Once I proved by working on your hands that I wasn't going to hurt you, and you were already feeling good, it was easier to work up to your neck."

"Gradual immersion therapy," Adrian grinned, causing Luka to snicker in response.

"Yeah in case you need an excuse for your father later," Luka laughed, not sure he'd be able to explain that without smirking. 

"Luka, would you mind if I crashed here tonight? After everything with my father today I don't want to face him yet. I know it's cowardly of me, and I have to go back eventually and I have school tomorrow but..." Adrian asked, avoiding Luka's eyes by turning to look at the opposite wall.

"Of course you can, you're welcome here anytime for as long as you want. You can walk to school with Juleka tomorrow morning, okay?" Luka replied, pressing reassuring kisses along Adrian's throat.

Adrian practically melted into the touches, "Okay, thank you. I really appreciate it. I'll message Natalie and let her know I'm staying over at Nino's to study."

Luka hummed his response before switching to the other side of Adrian's neck, turning the blonde into a mass of heightened senses and feelings. After leaving several more tiny hickeys along Adrian's collarbone Luka pulled back, satisfied with the blissed-out look on his friend's face.

"I want more, but I don't even know what that means," Adrian admitted, a needy tone in his voice.

"It usually means your feeling good, you like what I'm doing and want me to keep you feeling like that. But like I said before I don't want to force you to go too far since you've never done this sort of thing with anyone," Luka answered.

Adrian nodded, taking stock of his body, it was true he felt wonderful right now and never wanted it to stop. He couldn't ever remember feeling like this before but was it because of Luka or more what he was doing? "How do I know if I like what you were doing, which I did, or if I like it because it's you doing it?"

Luka sighed, that was almost exactly what he'd been asking himself earlier. "Since you know for sure you liked what I was doing, can you imagine someone else doing those same things? Does that excite you?"

Adrian frowned, who else could he imagine tonguing his fingers and nipping his throat? Nino? Adrian shuddered at that thought, nope that was not a pleasant idea. Chloe? Now Adrian just felt nauseous, she was practically his sister; not to mention nothing about her attracted him physically, half the time he found her voice enough to induce a migraine. "Maybe I don't know enough people. Most of the ones I know are my friends, almost my family. I couldn't do anything like this with them."

Luka raised an eyebrow, wasn't there anyone he knew he had a crush on? "What about a secret crush?"

Adrian's face dropped as a name flashed in his mind, Ladybug. But for some reason, he couldn't get his imagination to go there. He'd always dreamed about kissing her, holding her, having her in his lap while they watched the stars twinkle above Paris. Right now though he was sitting in Luka's lap, and Luka was kissing him, licking him, he was leading this whole scenario, it wasn't the same trying to switch Luka for Ladybug. "I wouldn't want her doing what you're doing to me, sure I've thought about kissing her but this is different. I like you licking my fingers and kissing my neck, I don't think it would feel the same with someone else."

Luka swallowed hard, Adrian was going to ruin him and he didn't even know it. He'd harbored a slight attraction for the boy since shortly after he met him and what he'd just admitted had been music to his ears. "Would you freak out if I told you I wanted to kiss you?"

Adrian blinked, a bit shell shocked at the quiet admission. After all that they'd done, he wasn't expecting Luka to ask. "No, actually I was kinda surprised we hadn't done that yet."

"I always consider real kisses special, not something you do with friends or on a whim. Have you ever been kissed before?" Luka asked.

"Well I've had kisses on the cheek from women, and I sorta accidentally kissed Ladybug while I was akumatized though I don't remember it so I'm not sure it counts," Adrian blushed in embarrassment.

Luka smiled, "It's alright, I've had three. That meant anything to me that is. My first girlfriend when I was 13, and I thought I was totally in love and going to marry her. Then a girl I had a total crush on when I was 15, though she didn't feel the same way. And finally, my boyfriend a year and a half ago who dumped me to follow his favorite band on their world tour, I think he had the hots for the lead singer."

Adrian wasn't sure what to say in response to that, he'd never even officially dated anyone before. 

"Hey, it's okay that you've never had a decent kiss, kinda difficult with the life you've led up to now. And if you want to save it for that special someone I understand," Luka added, seeing the slight change in Adrian's face.

Adrian's cheeks heated up again, "I don't care about saving it, I don't think she'll return my feelings anytime soon. I'm happy being here with you Luka, and I can't promise I'll be any good at kissing, but I'd like to try."

Luka smiled and reached a hand up to cup Adrian's cheek, feeling his smile grow as the blonde nuzzled into his palm a quiet purr resonating from his chest. Adrian was more Chat Noir than he realized when he wasn't trying so hard to cover it up and Luka loved that he could be that relaxed and open around him. Leaning forward slightly, Luka gently grazed their cheeks together, as his hand moved into Adrian's hair. Both their eyes slipped shut and their lips sought each other out in tender, soft touches. 

Adrian wasn't sure what he was expecting from kissing someone, he had no experience other than seeing Nino and Alya kiss a handful of times and whatever romance movie he'd watched. He didn't have to think about what to do, he was suddenly moving in response to Luka, their lips barely touching before they'd part and meet again. Eventually, Adrian wanted more, he didn't want Luka to keep pulling away so he pressed himself closer and deepened the kiss.

Luka had tried to hold himself back, knew if he let himself go he'd lose himself in Adrian, but when he suddenly pressed closer and wouldn't let him break the kiss again Luka gave up all pretense. Adrian may not have had any experience but he was on one heck of a learning curve and Luka felt his entire body react. He let his hands roam through Adrian's downy soft hair, across his shoulders, his back and to his hips where he gripped tight enough to leave bruises.

Adrian threw back his head and moaned as he felt Luka's grip on his hips, the feeling of his hands had lit a fire throughout his body and now he was completely breathless and shaking. "I'm hot and I can't catch my breath, but I feel really good."

Luka nearly groaned when Adrian spoke, he knew he'd told him to verbalize everything so he'd know if he was okay but much more of this could be a really bad idea. "I know me too. I want to keep going but I don't want it to be too much for you your first time."

Adrian wasn't sure if it would be too much, so far nothing they'd done had scared him, or shocked him. He didn't regret anything they'd done, or that it had been with Luka. Obviously, his question from earlier had been answered, he did like Luka. "I'm sorry I never saw it before, I guess I was pretty oblivious to what was right in front of my face. I'd never really thought about dating a guy, I was so hung up on the girl I like that I couldn't see anyone else. But I've always really admired you, Luka, I was always happy whenever I came over here to see you and I could barely take my eyes off you while you played guitar or sang. I'm really glad you were my first real kiss."

Luka could practically feel his Alpha howling with delight and he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Adrian liked him, really liked him. Holding back now was going to be almost impossible, but at least he didn't have to pretend and hide his feeling anymore. "From now on you set the pace okay. I won't do anything more unless you specifically tell me to. We'll go as far as you want."

Adrian's pupils dilated at the low husky growl that sent an electrical shock through his groin. "More kissing."

Luka didn't hesitate and both boys locked their mouths together, Luka's tongue swiping across Adrian's lips until he parted them. Adrian's brain fizzled as Luka's tongue tangled with his own and he moaned at the feeling. Luka's hands tightened again on Adrian's hips and Adrian shuddered, rubbing himself against Luka. Luka's fingers spread to cradle Adrian's butt as the boy writhed against him. He squeezed the soft mounds of flesh in each hand and Adrian bucked harder, chasing the waves of pleasure. Luka wasn't sure if Adrian had thought out much past kissing at this point but their bodies were definitely taking it up a few notches and he reluctantly pulled back from the delicious lips. "Adrian, we should slow down a little."

Adrian's lust-filled gaze made Luka want to take that back immediately but he knew how tempting it was to keep going at the pace they'd set and he'd be done far too quickly. Luka's hands were still keeping a firm hold of Adrian's butt cheeks and as realization finally filtered into his brain the blonde blanched at their positions and current physical states. Adrian practically threw himself out of Luka's lap and across the bed, scrambling back against the pillows and headboard looking like a scared rabbit. "Oh no Luka I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to...I didn't realize I was..."

Embarrassment he'd been expecting, shame maybe, but not blind panic. "Adrian it's okay, you didn't do anything wrong. It just felt a little good too, if you know what I mean and we hadn't specified what we were going to do."

Adrian buried his face in his hands, "My father was right."

Luka moved a bit closer barely hearing the mumbled words, "What? What did he say?" 

Adrian glanced up at him, complete guilt and disgust at himself swimming in his wet eyes. "I'm nothing more than a slut, a whore that wants to be bred by every Alpha available."

Luka's heart lurched to a sickening halt in his chest and he felt as though he'd just been sucker-punched in the gut. Words completely failed him at the moment, and although he wanted nothing more than to comfort Adrian, wipe away the tears coursing down his cheeks and tell him it was a lie, Luka could barely catch his breath. 

"I'm sorry Luka, I never meant to upset you. All you've done for me is help me and I repay you by mauling you without even asking first," Adrian apologized, sliding off the bed and trying to stem the unending flow of tears as his breath shuddered and hiccupped. Adrian was halfway through the galley, barely able to see where he was going as sobs wracked his body when he heard Luka shout his name. Turning enough to see back the way he'd come, he didn't even have enough time to brace himself as Luka tore down the hallway and threw himself against Adrian. 

"Don't go, please. He was wrong, so wrong. You didn't do anything wrong, Adrian, you were perfect, it was perfect, I was just afraid we were going too fast. I didn't want to stop, just slow down a little. Please stop crying," Luka babbled, burying his face in Adrian's hair as he held him as close as he could.

Adrian's arms came up around Luka in a death grip as he hugged him in return. He felt immense relief wash over him that Luka wasn't mad, or disgusted with him and relaxed into those strong arms. Slowly the tears abated, and Adrian let out a huff of exhaustion. It had been a ridiculously long day and he suddenly felt like he could barely stand up anymore. "I'm glad you're not mad at me Luka and I am sorry I pushed you so far tonight. I should probably head home now before I make it any worse."

"Nope, you're spending the night and walking to school with Juleka tomorrow, remember?" Luka replied as if Adrian had simply forgotten.

Adrian flushed, "I know that's what we had planned, but I don't know if it's such a good idea anymore. I might not be able to control myself. I didn't even know what I was doing until you stopped me."

Luka scoffed, "Who's the Alpha around here? No matter what happens Adrian I promise I will be able to control whatever we do, no matter how badly you may want me." Luka steered them back into his room, where Adrian perched uncertainly once more on the edge of his bed as if he expected to need to make a run for it. 

"I wasn't even thinking Luka," Adrian admitted, shying away from meeting the other's teal gaze.

"That's because I told you to go for it, to feel and tell me what you were feeling not to over-analyze it. You were finally letting your Omega loose for once but that doesn't mean you're a slut or a whore. So what were you feeling?" Luka replied, sitting beside Adrian once more, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Adrian shifted uncomfortably, trying to remember and not spontaneously burst into flames. "My whole body felt hot, and I just kept wanting to get closer. I wanted your hands to touch me everywhere and I was..."

Luka waited patiently but Adrian seemed to stall. "It's okay, whatever you need to say I promise no harsh judgments."

"I was aroused. I've never felt that way with anyone else, I had no idea it would feel so good or that I'd not be able or want to stop. I guess that's what father meant," Adrian confessed, head hanging in embarrassment.

At this rate, Luka was going to sic his mother on Gabriel Agreste and let the chips fall where they may without feeling an ounce of remorse. "For one I'd stop listening to your father about anything regarding Omegas. He isn't one, he probably doesn't associate himself with them and he's got a seriously tilted bias. For two, the only reason you got so caught up in our make-out session was because you don't have any experience yet. It can be overwhelming when it starts to feel good, especially because you don't know how one thing can easily lead to another."

Adrian nodded in understanding, he still felt a bit off-kilter from earlier and just wanted to forget all about it. "What should we do now?"

"It's getting a bit late and we both have school tomorrow so, movie?" Luka suggested, earning a tired and slightly stressed looking smile from the blonde.

Luka popped in a movie in his DVD player and pulled down the covers on his bed. "Since you didn't have a chance to go home for a change of clothes, would you like to borrow something?"

Adrian sighed and nodded, looking down at his perfectly pressed beige slacks and navy blue t-shirt, neither of which would be very comfortable to sleep in. Turning his back to Luka he shucked off both and slipped into a large black t-shirt with a band logo on it and a pair of soft grey cotton gym shorts. Luka's scent permeated everything and Adrian felt his shoulders slump as he flopped bonelessly onto the bed, eyes fluttering shut.

Turning around after getting changed, Luka took in the sight of Adrian sprawled on his back across his bed, looking like he'd been put through the wringer. Stretching out beside Adrian on what was left of the bed, Luka curled up around his head, gently lifting it and placing it on his stomach. "You doing okay?"

Adrian shook his head with a heavy sigh. "I still feel like my father was right in some sense and now I'm not sure I can trust myself."

Luka petted Adrian's hair and gently kissed down from his ear to his jaw, making the blonde give an appreciative moan. "Did you like that?"

Adrian's eyes opened, "Yes."

"Do you feel like you want to do more?" Luka asked.

Adrian's brows furrowed in confusion, "I don't know. It felt nice, but I'm not as far gone as I was before."

"That's because it takes practice. You need to learn how your body reacts to certain stimuli. I knew I was getting close to the edge before and you'd never gone that far with anyone so I didn't want to scare you," Luka replied.

"Is that how it usually goes? I mean I see Nino and Alya make out now and then, though they try not to do it around others but I've never seen them that worked up before and I know they haven't gone all the way yet," Adrian asked.

"It can be a bit different between guys, girls think more with their heads no matter what the situation and can usually call a stop to it whenever things get too heated but it's harder for guys once the hormones start taking over. But even if we had gone further Adrian, I wouldn't have been upset. I was doing something that felt great with someone I like, there's nothing wrong with that as long as we're not hurting each other," Luka explained.

"So how far have you gone with someone? Have you ever been with an Omega before?" Adrian asked.

"My first girlfriend was an Omega, and the first time we got past kissing neither one of us stopped soon enough. It was seriously embarrassing because I don't think she had any idea what had happened and the second my mom saw the wet spot on my shorts she dragged me to my room for a two-hour talk about sex, which in some ways was even worse," Luka groaned, burying his face in humiliation into the comforter. 

"Did you two keep seeing each other?" Adrian asked.

"Not for long, I was too afraid after that whenever we'd start kissing that I'd go too far again," Luka replied.

"Does it feel different when you're with someone?" Adrian asked, realizing how little he knew. 

"Yes, and if you're both clear that's what you want then it can be one of the best feelings in the world. It connects you on a deeper level than with other people because you have to be completely comfortable with each other and let yourself be vulnerable," Luka said.

"Luka are we...I mean would you want to one day do something like that with me?" Adrian asked, wondering if they needed to be an official couple and if Luka would even consider something like that with him.

"Are we what? And maybe, one day, though I only like to get that physically intimate with long term relationships. I don't do one night stands, I prefer to get to know the other person or I don't find it as enjoyable," Luka replied.

Adrian sat up slowly with a sigh, turning so he could face Luka who looked up at him curiously. "I know I don't want to marry Kagami, or probably anyone my father might set me up with but I know I like you and I'd like to see more of you. So, would you consider dating me for real now?"

Luka grinned, he hadn't wanted to hold out too much hope since their fake date had gone so disastrously but after today's experimentation, he'd had to admit that Adrian at least felt attracted to him physically which was a step in the right direction. "Yes, I think I'd like that."

Adrian felt all the leftover tension leave him in a rush that made him slump forward into Luka's waiting arms. He nuzzled Luka under the chin, pressing his nose to his throat to scent him. His eyes closed and he was purring happily before he could stop himself, though from the way Luka's arms cradled him he certainly didn't mind.


	3. Touch Me, I Wanna Feel Dirty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the longest one yet I believe, sorry for the delay but it took several re-writes to get it finished. This chapter is mostly graphic lemon scenes, so please be aware before you read. If you don't like, you can skip to the next chapter and finish the story there.
> 
> WARNING: Graphic sexy scenes!!! Skip if you don't like boyxboy action!
> 
> If you do read it, please let know if you liked it, leave me a kudo or a comment, thank you!

Luka moaned and rolled over, the sun blinding him through his porthole window. It had been fairly early before the movie had even ended, that both Adrian and himself had fallen asleep but he'd tossed and turned all night. From the purple bruise-like circles under his eyes, Adrian was in a similar condition, as well as drenched in sweat, his hair matted to his forehead. 

"Five minutes or you miss breakfast!" Anarka called out from behind Luka's door.

Adrian slouched back against the headboard, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes. Why was the light so bright today? It was giving him a blinding headache to accompany the overly hot temperature of the room. 

"Here, you can wear these today, unless you want to wear what you had on yesterday," Luka said, tossing Adrian a handful of clothing. 

Adrian squinted at the clothes, at this rate he'd need sunglasses just to get through class. And what in the world had he been doing yesterday, every muscle in his body felt heavy, tired, and achy? Standing sent a bolt of searing pain from his hips up to his shoulders and he bit his lip to keep from screaming. The pain had left him shaky and he dropped the t-shirt onto the bed three times before he managed to get it on, feeling completely drained afterward. Using every handhold available, Adrian shuffled his way to the dining area of the galley and settled onto the round bench next to Luka.

Turning around with an overflowing platter of eggs, bacon and pancakes Anarka stopped dead in her tracks as she took a look at Adrian Agreste sitting at her table. He was sitting ramrod straight, eyes sunken and dull, skin pale and dewy with sweat and visibly shivering. Setting the platter down on the table, Luka and Juleka dove in like starving hounds while Adrian didn't move a muscle or even acknowledge the food. In fact, if she had to bet, he'd turned a slight shade of green. Moving to the sink, Anarka filled a large glass up with ice and water and slid it under Adrian's nose, finally getting the boy's attention. With both hands wrapped tightly around it, Adrian slowly downed the entire glass in less time then it took Luka to eat 2 bites of pancake. 

Anarka removed and refilled the glass once more, adding two pain killers and sliding them over to Adrian who looked askance at the white pills. "For the headache."

Luka glanced over, "You have a headache Adrian?"

Adrian winced at the motion but gave a slight nod before swallowing the pills and finishing off the second glass of water with a sigh. Finally, it didn't feel like his insides were going to melt.

"Juleka, would you grab me the thermometer from the bathroom please?" Anarka asked as Juleka set her empty plate in the kitchen sink. The girl nodded and quickly moved out of the room. Luka immediately understood something was wrong and looked between his mother and Adrian in concern. Anarka just shook her head and refilled the water glass once more.

"Adrian, when is your next heat supposed to be?" Anarka asked, catching both boys off guard. Adrian looked puzzled for a moment, his brain having a hard time functioning with the pounding in his head.

"Not for a few more weeks at least. Father has it scheduled on the calendar and Natalie usually sets up a doctor appointment a week ahead of time, why?" Adrian answered.

"Has it scheduled? Is it pretty regular then? Does the doctor take you off the suppressants?" Anarka asked.

"Every 4 months, usually around a school break or long weekend so I don't miss anything. The doctor comes to the house, gives me a shot and some medicine, and then I sleep through most of it," Adrian explained.

Anarka's eyes widened and she looked at Adrian in severe concern. "Luka said you haven't been getting along with your father much recently, have you been under much stress?"

"He wouldn't let me have a party with my friends for my 16th birthday, called it childish and immature. Then he said I needed to find myself a mate and now he's in negotiations with the Tsurugi family to marry me to their daughter who I practice fencing with. But I don't want to marry her, so Luka and I faked a date the other night and my father got really upset and said I wasn't allowed to see him anymore," Adrian replied.

"Well I'm no psychologist but I'd count all of that as stress. Adrian, how are you feeling right now?" Anarka asked.

"Hot, my head hurts, all my muscles ache and I feel really weak. What's wrong with me?" Adrian asked, realizing his symptoms were not normal.

Anarka sighed heavily, took the thermometer from Juleka, and pressed it against Adrian's lips until he took it in his mouth. It beeped a moment later and Anarka did not look happy with the results. "Either you've got the fastest-acting flu I've ever seen, you're a very unusual beta or you're an omega going through an early stress-induced heat." Glancing at Luka, Anarka already knew the answer and understood it was obviously a very well guarded secret. "Luka, take him back to your room, get him in bed and I'll be in with some supplies in a few minutes."

Adrian didn't protest Luka's manhandling of him back into bed, melting into the pillows as his body finally gave up the fight of keeping him upright. "I don't understand, I've never gone into heat early and I don't remember them being like this."

"That's because your father had the doctor induce them when it was convenient rather than let nature take its course. The suppressants are still in your body which probably masked any oncoming signs these past few days that would have usually alerted you to it. I don't have anything strong enough to make you sleep through it, but I promise, Luka, Juleka and I will make you as comfortable as possible," Anarka replied, handing several bottles of chilled water to Luka who lined them up on the bedside table beside a bottle of pain killers. 

Adrian was still trying to process what Anarka had told him, more of his father meddling in his life, controlling everything. He could feel the anger and frustration welling up in him but he was completely at a loss as to how to change anything. Adrian took a shuddering breath, wiping away a tear, and was startled to find Luka curling up beside him. "What are you doing? Aren't you going to school?"

"Nope, unless you want me to leave you alone I'm going to stay right here with you," Luka said, earning a dumbfounded look from the blonde. 

Anarka scoffed and rolled her eyes, "alphas can be a great help during a heat for omegas. Their scents can keep you calm and relaxed. And that's what you'll do Luka or I will personally make you walk the plank and Juleka and I will ban you from this ship until the heat is over."

Luka nodded solemnly, he'd been through enough of Juleka's heats to know how to handle them. Lots of water to keep hydrated, low lights to help with headaches and light sensitivity, no strong smells from food, candles or perfumes, no loud noises, and if necessary lots of cuddling. Usually, the first day for Juleka was mild, she wanted back rubs and as much physical contact from her mom and brother as possible. The next day she would be tired and hot, so lots of cool baths, soothing music, and naps. The next few days were usually when Luka would find somewhere else to be. Juleka's moods would switch at the drop of a hat, crying one moment, mad and screaming the next while her hormones raged like a wildfire and filled the houseboat with the scent of a breedable omega. As strong as Luka considered himself as an alpha, too much exposure to a horny omega could tempt even a saint and the thought of touching his sister in that way made him ill. 

Adrian, on the other hand, had no experience with his heats, he had no idea what to expect and his emotions usually ran quite high, to begin with. So Luka would stay beside him as long as possible and give him whatever comfort he could. Eventually, the hormones might start to override his better judgment, but thankfully he had his mom and Juleka to lend a hand.

"If there is anything you need or want, just let one of us know and we'll get it for you. We've been through this a few times already and we're pretty prepared," Anarka added, giving Adrian a reassuring smile before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

"I can't believe I'm going through my heat early. My father expects me to be home after school today, what am I going to tell him?" Adrian said, leaning his head against Luka's shoulder. 

"We could tell him the truth, but I doubt that would go over very well since being an omega is supposed to be a secret. More studying at Nino's?" Luka suggested.

"It'll have to do, I can't risk my father seeing me like this or he'll never let me out of my room again," Adrian sighed.

"I'll make sure to text him later this afternoon, I'll tell him there was a last-minute study session planned due to a pop quiz on Monday. Hopefully, that'll give you a few days of father free interruption," Luka said, smoothing back Adrian's damp hair and placing a cool wet washcloth on his forehead.

Adrian groaned, "That feels nice, can I have more?"

Luka chuckled, "Why don't you take off your shirt and shorts, that'll help a bit."

Adrian paused, "What about your mom?"

"You'll still have your boxers on and you can throw the bedsheet over your lap if you want to. Besides mom will knock before she comes in, though there's not much she hasn't dealt with before," Luka replied, helping Adrian peel the sweat-soaked shirt from his back. 

"I know it's called a heat, but why am I so hot? It feels like my body is burning up," Adrian asked.

Luka placed a few more cool cloths along Adrian's arms, stomach and legs. "The theory is to help stabilize any eggs that get fertilized in the omega's womb. Apparently, cold-core temperatures can cause miscarriages. Also, my mom figures that it helps the body burn off any bacteria's or virus' that may be in the body and might harm the eggs."

Adrian raised an eyebrow and then glanced down at his belly. "That's not going to be a problem."

Luka couldn't help but laugh at the deadpan response from the blonde. "Both male and female omegas used to be able to carry babies, though my mom says the last she heard of a male omega getting pregnant she was still in elementary school, and it was rare even then."

"I can't even imagine that," Adrian whispered, his hand drifting to slowly caress his smooth stomach. 

Luka couldn't resist laying his hand over the top of Adrian's as it ghosted along his skin. "You'd definitely make the most beautiful babies. Think about it, twins, one boy, one girl, both with sunny blonde hair and big green eyes. They'd be on the cover of every baby magazine across France."

Adrian felt a lump form in his throat at Luka's hushed words. Babies? Twins? From him? Luka painted such a wonderful picture that he couldn't help but imagine his belly rounded and full then holding both his little ones once they were born. Someone to love, someone to cuddle with all the time, someone who loved him back. Tears poured down Adrian's face as he choked on a sob and Luka immediately gathered him into his arms. "I want that Luka, I really do. I've never had a real family before, at least not since before my mother disappeared, and I barely remember that."

Luka wanted to kick himself for making Adrian cry, knowing better then most how fragile omegas' emotions were during their heat and Adrian's were fairly unbalanced at the best of times. His alpha was not happy with this turn of events either, if Adrian wanted pups then why wasn't he doing his duty? He'd happily breed him with as many litters as his blonde omega wanted. Luka felt his throat tightening and tears pooling in his eyes, he was in so deep with Adrian and he doubted the other boy even knew it. If Adrian wanted the moon, Luka wanted to be able to provide him with it, but babies just weren't possible; not in the traditional way. "You're still pretty young yet for all that but don't lose hope, it's a dream to hold onto for the future."

Besides the heat, sweat, and general exhaustion, Adrian thought the first day of his heat hadn't been too unbearable. Especially since Luka had kept his word and stayed with him the entire time. He hand-fed him ice chips, kept him covered in cool compresses, and played non-stop classical music on his mp3 player. Adrian had to admit it would have been nearly romantic under any other circumstance. Waking up today, however, Adrian could tell a definite shift, the intensity of the heat was worse, his back was so cramped he could barely move and his boxers were drenched between his thighs.

Luka was nowhere to be seen in the room and Adrian was momentarily glad for the privacy. Pulling back the waistband of his underwear, he was surprised to find himself erect and the tip of his penis leaking pre-cum. Adrian had some previous experience with wet dreams, it was par for the course of being a 16-year-old boy but this was not the sort of amount of ejaculate he was used to. Strangely he didn't even feel aroused, even though the evidence clearly said otherwise. Perhaps it was because he'd already cum several times? He guessed it didn't matter at this point because what was important right now was getting cleaned up.

Carefully Adrian managed to slip off the edge of the bed and hobble to the door. Peeking out, the coast was clear and he locked himself in the bathroom for a very cold shower. It helped alleviate the scalding heat slightly, but is back still ached, and trying to touch himself to relieve the pressure just resulted in all his muscles spasming painfully. Wrapping a towel around his waist, Adrian made a beeline for the bedroom, surprised to find the bedsheets had been stripped and changed. Sitting down on the edge of the bed Adrian realized he had a slight problem, unless he wanted to put his cum soaked boxers back on he was completely out of fresh clothing. Bolstering his nerve, Adrian moved towards the door and stuck his head out into the hallway. "Luka? Anarka?"

Footsteps could be heard coming from the galley and a second later Luka popped into sight. "What's up? Everything ok?"

"Yeah sorry to disturb you but I just took a shower and realized I don't have any more clothes. I should probably sneak home and grab some," Adrian replied, the mere idea of it making his body scream in protest.

Luka scoffed and shook his head, "You're welcome to borrow anything you need, but you're definitely not going out; you'd attract every alpha within a 5-mile radius."

Adrian blushed beet red, he got compliments like that all the time because of his model status and yet it seemed to take on a different tone when Luka said it. "Okay, thanks." Adrian was planning on going back into the room and getting dressed but Luka slithered past him and began rooting through his drawers, tossing several items out onto the bed. 

"I'll lay a couple of pairs of clothes out for you so you don't have to search for them next time, though if you'd prefer to stay in just underwear or shorts that's fine as well," Luka commented, trying not to sound as if he preferred the second option. Just seeing Adrian in a towel was causing his heart rate to spike and he was mentally urging it to slip a little lower. The blonde suddenly seemed overly shy, standing on the far side of the bed, staring fixedly at a pair of boxer shorts just out of his reach. "You can change, I promise I won't look."

Adrian grimaced, he hadn't wanted to be so obvious but he was barely keeping the towel around his waist, his back was still in agonizing amounts of pain and his cock hadn't softened in the slightest. "Does your mom have anything for muscle cramps?"

Luka thought for a moment, then nodded and headed for the door. "There's some cream she uses for her back when it's hurting, I'll go grab it."

The second Luka shut the door, Adrian let the towel fall and gingerly sat on the bed, mindful of the clean sheets and his slightly damp body. The fresh boxers were a relief, but Adrian was very worried that they'd wind up like the last pair in short order. He didn't understand why his erection wouldn't go down or why he was still leaking. Was this what happened to him every time he went through his heat? Why couldn't he remember anything? His father always said it was better to sleep through it and not have to worry about any of the difficulties but this didn't seem to be the normal thing to do for your heat. Juleka certainly never did, the way Anarka made it sound it was a usual occurrence around here and they all toughed it out together. How was if different for girls then boys? He didn't seem to be having any mood swings yet, except for that slight hiccup yesterday. Adrian was still contemplating his current situation when Luka came back in with a large round jar of cream and a triumphant smile on his face.

"Where does it hurt?" Luka asked, settling down on the bed beside Adrian.

"Everywhere, but mostly my back. It feels like my muscles are tying themselves into knots and tearing themselves apart at the same time," Adrian replied with a slightly pained expression.

"Yeah, Juleka gets pretty bad backaches during her heat too. I've gotten pretty good at massages though so roll over onto your stomach and I'll see what I can do to help," Luka offered, getting no resistance from Adrian as he eagerly got into position. 

Luka's hands felt like ice on his sweating back and he shivered gratefully. Without needing to request it, Luka grabbed several cloths, wet them in down in the bowl of ice water on the bedside table, and draped one across the back of Adrian's neck, shoulders and calves. Adrian buried his face into a pillow, trying to stifle the relieved moan. Luka took a palmful of the cream and spread it along Adian's smooth, taunt back, kneading his fingers into the knotted muscles. Adrian couldn't help the mewls of pleasure as Luka's hands miraculously relieved the pain. Squirming slightly, Adrian tried not to thrash as Luka worked several particularly large knots, his hands gripping desperately at the sheets, trying to hold on as the pain bowed his back. Suddenly the feeling of a hot, wet tongue and the press of lips peppered his neck and he froze in surprise. 

Luka resumed pressing his fingers into the knots, working them out only for Adrian to start whining and shifting restlessly again. With how tense Adrian was he wasn't surprised that it was so painful for him, but the constant moving around wasn't helping him relax. Leaning over him again, Luka latched his lips around the shell of Adrian's ear and began suckling on it. Adrian froze again and Luka kept massaging while licking, nibbling, and sucking on different parts of his neck, ears, and shoulders to keep his distracted. Slowly but surely Luka felt the muscles beneath his hands begin to loosen and Adrian started to melt more and more into the bed beneath him. Moving further down, Luka started on his thighs and calves while peppering more kisses and licks to his lower back. Adrian began to whimper and shift again on the bed, and Luka laid a forearm across his upper thighs to try and keep him still. "I know it hurts a little, but it'll feel a lot better afterward."

Adrian shook his head, "Doesn't hurt, feels good. Don't stop, please Luka."

Luka's eyes dilated at the pleading desperation in Adrian's voice that went straight to his groin. Shaking his head to clear the lusty haze that was filling it, Luka focused back on his massage. His hands weren't quite where he'd thought they were however, instead they were just below Adrian's butt cheeks, gripping the back of a thigh in each one. "That feels good?" Luka gave a tentative squeeze of each hand, smoothing them down the back of his thighs to his knees and up again. Adrian's thighs parted a few inches and he nodded eagerly. Continuing the motion, Luka's hands encircled each of his thighs one at a time, working from the front around to the back. Luka's thumbs barely grazing the bottom of his cheeks while his fingers pushed the underwear up as far as they could go. Adrian's hips began twitching and Luka bit his lip, trying to keep himself from yanking the underwear off completely. 

Adrian couldn't believe how good he was feeling, he still felt hot and sweaty but the muscle cramps were finally gone, leaving him lax and pliant. Luka's strong hands were now on his legs and his nerve endings were firing continuously now that he could feel something beyond the pain. His cock was heavy and aching trapped between his stomach and the bed and moving his hips just the slightest bit was causing the most delicious feelings. He wanted Luka's hands everywhere, he wanted him to keep kissing and licking his entire body. Adrian's brain had been completely taken over by the lust that was flooding his body while his omega purred contentedly.

Luka realized too late that Adrian's moans of pleasure were as much from his massage as from the friction he was getting from rubbing against the bed. By now Adrian's hips had picked up a steady rhythm, his butt muscles clenching and releasing, making Luka's mouth go dry at the sight. It was wickedly sinful and Luka should probably make up something to excuse himself from the room until Adrian was finished, that thought making Luka nearly bite his tongue off, but he just couldn't think of a single thing to say. Adrian's moans and breathy pants picked up speed, his hips stuttering and pressing harder into the mattress as his whole body stiffened and he let out a keening wail of completion that had Luka's cock throbbing. The blonde went completely limp after a moment, aftershocks shuddering through him as his hips thrust weakly a few more times before stilling. 

"Adrian? Can you hear me? Are you feeling okay?" Luka asked quietly, brushing the blonde hair out of his face. Bleary green eyes gazed at him, a dopey smile on his face but otherwise, Adrian didn't answer. Luka wondered if this was the part of the heat his mom always told him he didn't need to be around for Juleka, as the hormones took complete control and overrode the body and brain. Knowing his bed was probably getting pretty wet, Luka carefully rolled Adrian onto his back and then stopped at the next predicament. Adrian's boxers were sporting a definite wet spot, as were his bedsheets, which he'd already changed once today. Adrian was in no fit condition to help change himself or the bed, so Luka grabbed a few towels from the bathroom and laid them over the wetness and placed Adrian back on top, at least that way if this happened again he had some protection. Now on to changing Adrian, which should have seemed an easy, quick task as it was just a pair of boxers but it suddenly felt like he was taking advantage of the boy. He could always call in his mom for help, but Adrian would most likely be just as mortified by that and they had tentatively spoken about possibly getting more physical later on in their relationship. Taking a breath to steady his hands, Luka hooked his fingers into the waistband of the boxers and lifted up before tugging them down Adrian's legs. Surprisingly enough he was still erect, and although Luka tried not to stare, the sight before him was so tempting he felt himself begin to pant and drool. It was certainly going to be harder to keep his wits about him after this, even without the omega hormones and scent flooding the room, seeing Adrian naked and aroused was making his alpha impatient and testy. 

Sliding a pair of clean boxers on Adrian, Luka was surprised at how out of it he still was. His eyes fluttered open now and again but he didn't seem to see anything nor was he responsive to any questions. Once again Luka curled up around Adrian, pulling the sheet over them in case his mom or sister came in. Adrian murmured incoherently and rubbed himself along Luka causing him to shudder at the friction to his own attention-starved member. Luka tightened his hold, hoping it would keep Adrian from moving so much, but to no avail. Instead, Adrian buried his face in Luka's neck and started licking up to his jaw. Holding perfectly still Luka tried not to respond, tried not to encourage Adrian or his Omega in any sort of way but at this point, Adrian probably wouldn't have been able to differentiate between Luka or an oversized pillow.

Luka bit back a surprised cry as he suddenly felt Adrian's hard cock through his boxers press up against his own. Adrian clearly felt it as well as he moaned wantonly and began to rub them together. Luka knew he should push Adrian off him, get out of the bed, and as far as humanly possible until he was in his right mind again and not at the mercy of his heat, but Luka had promised he'd help Adrian through this. Luka could feel his cock swelling and pulsing and knew he was getting very close. Adrian probably wouldn't remember any of this, and Luka swore he wouldn't take it any further than where they currently were, letting Adrian rub against him was at least better than taking full advantage of him and breeding him like Gabriel Agreste thought all omegas wanted. Hopefully, Adrian wouldn't completely hate him after this.

Not wanting to do anymore laundry today, Luka reached down between their bodies and pulled his own shorts and underwear off as well as the underwear Adrian was wearing. Trying not to look, Luka kept his eyes firmly trained above Adrian's head. The second his hands were out of the way Adrian eagerly pressed back against him and Luka shuddered at the feeling. Adrian's long, hard cock sliding along his own, pre-cum coating both of them. Luka grasped Adrian's hips, fingers digging into the soft, plump roundness of his butt cheeks and Adrian whined low and needy.

"I'm so sorry for all of this Adrian. I know this isn't how you wanted it to happen, and I don't know if you can understand me right now but I promise I'll try to stay in control, I won't hurt you," Luka panted, feeling lousy that he wanted to take Adrian so badly right now.

Feeling Adrian's motions begin to falter and become unsteady, Luka realized he was probably as close to orgasm as he was. A few more jerky thrusts more and Luka felt as Adrian's cock pulsed, shooting hot cum all over his stomach and up his chest. It seemed to take forever for Adrian to finish riding out his orgasm and before he'd completely finished Luka lost control over the tenuous hold he had on his own, covering them both in more cum. Luka instantly felt both relieved and immensely guilty that he hadn't been able to stop himself. Completely sated, Adrian burrowed closer, prompting Luka to pull him into his arms, their still semi-hard cocks smearing the pooling cum between them. Luka couldn't be bothered with the mess right now though, figuring he'd laid plenty of towels down earlier to handle it and they could always shower later.

Luka was roused from his post-orgasmic nap roughly thirty minutes later as Adrian began sucking on one of his nipples. Glancing down he was met with the same unfocused, heat-induced look in Adrian's eyes while his soft pink lips wrapped around his hardened nub. Luka tossed back his head with a moan as Adrian's hand wrapped around his arousal, fingers dipping into the slit and rubbing his pre-cum around the tip. Luka knew Adrian had never touched anyone before, so was this something he did to himself? That thought, straight out of the gutters of his most perverse imaginings made his hips thrust up into Adrian's hand. He was supposed to be keeping himself under control, at the very least letting Adrian find his pleasure not getting himself off like this. But Adrian wasn't letting go and after a few more strong, sure strokes Luka realized he was fighting a losing battle. Burying his face into his pillow, Luka tried his best to cover up the sounds as his second orgasm of the day crashed over him. Adrian milked his cock steadily until there wasn't a drop left and Luka lay completely dazed beside him.

Without the energy to reciprocate Luka didn't bother to protest when Adrian smeared Luka's fresh cum along his own hardened cock and began stroking himself. He tried to look away, to give Adrian at least the illusion of privacy but the sight of the blonde biting his puffy lower lip while thrusting into his hand, using Luka's warm cum as lube to coat himself was too erotic to resist. Leaning forward Luka nosed at Adrian's neck trying to find his scent gland but only the slightest bit of muskiness hit his nose. Even though the suppressants had to be taken daily they'd been consistently in his system for four years so it was going to take quite a while to wear off.

Licking and nibbling on his neck Luka used Adrian's vocal sounds to guide him along his body. Flicking the shell of Adrian's ear with his tongue caused him to shiver and whimper while sucking on his collarbone made Adrian moan. By the time Luka had slid down to the pert pink nipples on Adrian's chest, the blonde had a steady rhythm going on his cock and was dripping a stream of pre-cum that helped keep it slick. Wrapping a tongue around the hardened nipple, Luka bathed it in his saliva before gently sucking it into his mouth and using his teeth to pull on it. Adrian's breath stuttered and he pushed his chest forward with a cry of pleasure. When the nipple was red and swollen Luka switched to the other side while Adrian writhed and bucked at the sensations. With his head pressed back into the pillows Adrian's body tensed up as he came, an eruption of milky fluid painting his stomach and chest as entranced teal blue eyes watched.

Luka wasn't sure what turned him on more at this point, watching Adrian's face as his eyes closed, his neck arched back and he whined out his orgasm or the way his cock twitched and swelled before he covered himself with his cum. Post orgasmic shudders ran through Adrian as he lay limp and mostly sated, his hand lazily pumping a few more trickles of fluid from his cock. Luka felt himself hard and throbbing once more, looking down in astonishment at his dick still covered in cum while eagerly leaking more along its length. There shouldn't be any way for him to have recovered that quickly no matter how hot it was watching Adrian, and yet he could barely keep himself from reaching down and touching himself once again. Glancing between the two of them Luka had to chuckle, the bed was a wreck, pillows, and blankets were strewn everywhere, the towels underneath them were rumpled and slowly getting wetter by the minute while Adrian and he were slathered from chin to groin in an orgy's worth of cum. Yet that too seemed to make it hotter for him and he rolled onto his stomach, fisted his aching, slicked up length in one of the towels, and slowly began pistoning his hips while watching Adrian's fingers swirl through the cooling wetness on his stomach.

Luka had never been able to openly look at anyone he liked in a situation such as this. Sex was usually done hurridly under the sheets with shades drawn tight and all lights off. The most he'd seen of his last boyfriend had been when they'd sun tanned outside on the Liberty's deck and they'd been mostly still clothed. Only in his most lurid fantasies could he have imagined anyone, let alone Adrian Agreste laying in his bed looking thoroughly used like a porn star. The picture was burned into his mind and Luka's hand sped up, groaning at how close to the edge he was. Luka bit into his pillow savagely as he orgasmed, the towel in his fist soaking up his load and oozing between his fingers. Luka was shaking from the intensity, feeling completely wrung out and totally depraved over the reason for it. He sighed, thankful he'd thought to put the towels down though he'd be doing a load of laundry now. Levering himself up on his hand and knees, Luka decided a shower was in order for both of them. Gathering the used towels up, he wiped himself and Adrian down as much as possible before tossing them into the washing machine. Adrian was mostly asleep, so Luka scooped him into his arms and carried him into the shower, doing his best to clean them both off.

Anarka had been keeping one eye and one ear open for Luka and Adrian since her song had sequestered them in his bedroom yesterday morning and had barely contained a surprised bark of laughter when she'd turned around while doing the dishes in the galley to see Luka bare naked carrying an equally naked Adrian into the bathroom. Her attention was diverted a moment later by the sound of multiple footsteps on the deck above her head and she hurried to intercept them. Anarka froze upon seeing Gabriel Agreste standing imperiously on his ship, hands on his hips, lips downturned in a frown of contempt. Behind him stood his secretary Natalie, the ever-present tablet in his hand while a huge, hulking beast of a man stalked the edges of the ship.

"Good afternoon Mr. Agreste, what can I do for you?" Anarka greeted, staunchly blocking the doorway to the galley.

"I'm here for my son Ms. Coffaine, as this was the last known place he had been. And before you try to tell me he's at school they called to alert me of his absence this morning. He has a photo shoot at three-thirty today, which he obviously forgot about but I did not," Gabriel replied, looking bored and irritated simultaneously.

Anarka's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry he's missing school Mr. Agreste but I'm sure he has his reasons. Unfortunately, I'm not one to divulge another's private matters and at the moment I'm very busy handling a sensitive family issue."

Gabriel sighed heavily, he had no time to deal with this wanna-be alpha's banter. "Please just go fetch my son Ms.Coffaine and we will be on our way and out of your business."

"I'm afraid I can't do that Mr. Agreste so take your people and kindly get off my ship so I can get back to work," Anarka replied, earning surprised looks from both Natalie and the bodyguard. 

Gabriel ground his teeth together, glancing at his watch, they were wasting an inordinate amount of time with this nonsense. "Ms. Coffaine are you implying you cannot return my son to me because he is not here or you are simply unwilling to for some unfathomable reason?"

"I am saying plain and simple sir that I am under no obligation to fetch or retrieve anything or anyone for you on my property which you so happen to be trespassing upon. Your son is old enough and smart enough to take care of himself, if he were inclined to leave under his own will power then he would do so but I most certainly won't force anyone from my home simply because an alpha demands it," Anarka stated, as both Natalie and the body guard's jaws dropped at her boldness.

"This alpha is his father Ms.Coffaine, and nobody will keep him from me. Go get my son," Gabriel ordered, snapping a finger at the bodyguard who quickly moved towards the doorway Anarka was blocking.

Anarka planted her feet firmly and braced her hands on the door frame, leveling her best glare at the man coming towards her. The bodyguard only hesitated for a heartbeat before steeling his resolve and very gently picked the petite woman up around the waist and set her down several feet away. Anarka spluttered indignantly and flew after the man as he lumbered into the galley.

"Stop right there! You have no authority to invade my home, leave immediately," Anarka cried as the bodyguard began thoroughly searching through the bedrooms. The man froze upon opening Luka's bedroom door however, an overpowering smell of alpha, pheromones, and sex hitting both him and Anarka before he swiftly shut it once more. He spun on his heel, face beet red, and hurried back out onto the deck, nearly knocking Anarka off her feet in his rush.

"Master Adrian isn't here sir," the bodyguard reported stiffly. Gabriel shot a hard look past him where Anarka once more stood in the doorway.

"I told you, I'm in the middle of dealing with a private family issue; my son is experiencing his rut," Anarka clarified, knowing there was no way for the bodyguard to differentiate between the smells in Luka's room enough to place Adrian there.

Fury filled Gabriel's face and he stalked past the bodyguard to loom menacingly over Anarka. "Is Adrian on this boat with your son while he's in a rut or not?"

Anarka stiffened her back and lifted her chin defiantly, skirting around the truth was one thing, but outright lying to an alpha would be seen through immediately. "Adrian fell into an early stress-induced heat Mr. Agreste, no doubt due to your machinations, and my son, daughter, and I have been caring for him. He's far too fragile at this stage to move him and you know as well as anyone that a familiar alpha can be crucial in a healthy recovery."

The words thundered through Gabriel's head and he cursed ever letting Adrian leave home. Unfortunately, Anarka was right and there was nothing he could do at this point, and taking on another alpha, even a younger one while trying to extricate his son would be extremely dangerous to all involved. "This should go without saying, however, I will impress the gravity of the matter to you, nobody can find out about Adrian's status. It is for his own protection and well being and if leaked the news could devastate his future prospects. Thank you for taking care of him, though you should have contacted me immediately. Here is the number of our family physician if any complications come up and I expect Adrian to be returned home the moment he is better."

Anarka stared shell shocked as Gabriel retreated, leaving Natalie furiously typing away on her tablet. Finishing, the woman briskly walked up to Anarka holding a pre-paid credit card. "I've emailed Dr. Lefan to update him on Adrian's condition, so feel free to call him at any time you need help. He's on the family account so don't worry about reimbursing him and take this for any extra expenses you may need while taking care of Adrian."

Anarka wanted to shred the card into a million pieces and toss them overboard but instead threw it unceremoniously into a random kitchen drawer. Honestly, the nerve of that man never failed to amaze her. Coming uninvited, unannounced onto her ship, making demands of her like a servant and then throwing money at her and leaving as if he'd just solved everything. It would serve the man right if Luka had already claimed Adrian, dashing his hopes for whatever frivolous future he'd planned for his son.

Luka felt much more refreshed and clear-headed after the shower and laid Adrian down in the guest room for a nap while he dressed, finished the laundry, and remade the bed. Opening the porthole windows, he attempted to clear out the stale air lingering in the room, though it did make his alpha pleased to smell Adrian's scent mingling with him. Though he tried not to dwell on the fact that it smelled mainly of sex since the omega's natural scent was still being blocked. Just as he was fluffing the last pillow his mom knocked on the open door frame. She radiated tension and displeasure and he instantly wondered if she suspected what they'd been up to earlier.

"Adrian's father was here while you two were in the shower," Anarka stated, getting a startled look from Luka who glanced past her into the hallway. "He's not here anymore, I had to explain what happened and thankfully he thought better of removing Adrian, though it was a close call. I now have his personal family doctor's number on speed dial, so if taking care of Adrian becomes too much let me know and I can call in reinforcements."

Luka shook his head, "I can handle it, mom, I don't really think Adrian would want anyone seeing him the way he is. How much of this do you think he's going to remember?"

"The first day or two probably, but after that, it becomes pretty hazy. Juleka always said it was like she fell asleep and had some really strange fever dreams that were never very clear. Which trust me is a blessing," Anarka replied, giving a small laugh. 

Luka instantly felt relieved, because there was no way Adrian was going to want vivid memories of himself these past few hours. It certainly wouldn't help his self-image issues after his disturbing talk with his father. 

"Just do your best for Adrian and try to respect his wishes to the best of your ability. I know being with an omega right now isn't easy, for once I'm thankful for those blasted suppressants since clearly, you haven't fallen into a rut yet," Anarka said.

Luka felt heat filling his face, he may not be experiencing a rut, but being close to Adrian while the boy was aroused and horny with no inhibitions to hold him back was causing him some serious mental anguish. He felt dirty and guilty one minute and then completely helpless in the face of Adrian's body's needs. He wanted more than anything to make him feel better, make the heat leave for even a few moments and give the boy a break but the only real way to do that was to mate him and claim him, which of course he absolutely couldn't do. Anarka excused herself to finish up the dishes that had been interrupted in the kitchen earlier and Luka went to check on Adrian in the guest room.

He probably shouldn't have been surprised to find Adrian thrashing in the bed, sweat pouring down his face as he panted and moaned. His body would convulse for a moment, head whipping back and forth across the pillows, hips jerking spastically before collapsing into an exhausted heap. Luka quickly moved beside him, gathering him into his arms as another fit passed. Rocking gently back and forth on the bed, he cooed nonsensical words to him, while letting Adrian scent him. Adrian's body finally relaxed, curling more into Luka, his hands fisting Luka's shirt. Once Adrian was calm Luka carefully carried him back into his bedroom and cuddled him up in a blanket that hadn't been washed yet, knowing his scent was helping. Luka's alpha was once again agitated seeing his omega in this state, it was his job to protect and help Adrian but clearly, he wasn't doing a very good job. Fresh from the shower, even covered in a fine sheen of sweat again, Adrian smelled like his body wash and a slightly deeper scent that was leaking through the hormone suppressants and suddenly Luka was hit was the strongest wave of physical desire for the blonde he had felt yet. 

As if responding to his cue, Adrian shifted in his lap, baring his neck and trying to thrust his hips against Luka. Adrian was once again painfully hard, his cock leaking copiously, the head a deep red color. Luka tried once again not to respond and wrapped the blanket more securely around him so he at least wouldn't have to stare at such a near irresistible sight. His own greedy body was taught and ready and he clenched his fingers in the blanket around Adrian, trying to take a steadying breath. Adrian's scent was beginning to permeate the room and Luka felt light-headed as he inhaled in, leaving him shivery and aching. His alpha was practically growling at him now to take, to breed, to sate both himself and his omega. Luka had been pretty positive before that he'd make it through Adrian's heat without going into a rut but now he was doubting that. His alpha was more present minute by minute as Adrian's body and pheromones called to him and he winced at the needy whimpers coming from the blonde. Desperate to get Adrian to stop moving, Luka reached down and fisted his cock through the blanket, thankful that he had at least this much padding between the two of them. He couldn't feel it very much, so it dulled the sensations for Luka, making it seem as if he could have been holding any number of round things in his hand. Adrian however mewled and panted in exhilaration, hips keeping pace with Luka's hand as he held onto his shirt for dear life. Luka could barely keep the dirty thoughts from filtering into his brain, how much he wanted to kiss Adrian, pin him down, make him beg to be touched, stroked, and licked. How out of his mind with pleasure he could make Adrian, again and again until neither one could move. Luka bit his lip savagely, tears beading on his eyelashes, he had never been this turned on before and it was for all the wrong reasons. Adrian's breath stuttered, his hands scrabbled for purchase across Luka's chest as his orgasm tore through his overly sensitive body. Luka gently squeezed every last drop out of him, not caring that the blanket was now soaked but grateful when Adrian slumped bonelessly back into his lap with a sigh. Without Adrian thrusting mindlessly against him, the feel of his hard, leaking cock in his hand, or the mouth-watering sounds he made, Luka was able to ignore his own need and lay them both down for a nap. 

Adrian's eyes sluggishly cracked open the next morning, his body refusing to cooperate more than that. Everything felt heavy and tired, nothing wanted to work and he couldn't for the life of him remember what had happened. Had he done something as Chat Noir that left him in this state? What sort of villain would leave him so wrung out? It took him nearly five minutes just to realize that he wasn't at home, but Luka's ship. Managing to rotate his head to the left, he saw Luka curled up next to him on the bed still sound asleep. He couldn't help a smile that broke over his face at being able to watch him. But as much as he didn't want to disturb his friend, he was very confused and wanted answers.

"Luka. Luka, can you hear me?" Adrian called softly, earning a tired moan from the young man.

Teal blue eyes peered at him through slitted lids, a frown marring his face. "Are you awake?"

Adrian chuckled softly, "Seems that way. Sorry to wake you but I can't seem to remember how I got here or why? Did we get attacked?"

Luka shook his head, his hair falling messily around his face. "No, you went into an early heat a few days ago; you've been here ever since."

Fragmented memories jostled around in Adrian's head but he was almost too worn out to decipher them. "I can't remember much."

"That's probably a good thing, mom says Juleka hardly ever remembers hers' a day or two into it either. How are you feeling?" Luka replied.

Adrian tried to assess himself, but honestly, most of him was still completely numb. "My whole body feels heavy and I'm not too sure I can move yet. Is that normal?"

"You've been up and down the last few days, with only a few hours of rest in between, no food and minimal water so it's not surprising you'd be so wiped out. I'd say by tomorrow you should be feeling much better," Luka said, getting a relieved smile from Adrian.

"Sorry this had to happen while I was here, I hope I wasn't too much trouble," Adrian apologized.

Luka smirked, trouble was putting it lightly and he sincerely hoped that if they were ever together during one of Adrian's heats again that he would be as blissfully unaware of it as he was. Although getting the green light to be completely unreserved with Adrian physically was almost enough to want to remember it all. "What are friends for?"

Adrian blushed and then stilled, friends? "Luka, before this started didn't I ask you if you'd be willing to go out with me?"

Luka thought for a minute, his own brain was fuzzy and severely sleep-deprived. "Yeah, I guess you did and I said yes. So, I retract my earlier statement and replace it with, what are boyfriends for? If you still want that?"

Adrian nodded eagerly, if Luka was still open to the idea and not too traumatized by whatever had happened while he was experiencing his heat then he'd gladly be Luka's boyfriend. That thought sent a fluttery thrill through him and he couldn't suppress the thousand-watt smile that lit up his face. "I gotta say this whole not remembering thing whenever my omega takes over is kinda getting old. First the dinner date with you and now my heat. What did I do this time?"

Luka blanched at the question, even though he knew logically it was coming. He hadn't had time to prepare what he was going to say. And of course, thinking was proving to be ridiculously difficult right now but he had to say something. Deciding to start it off slow, Luka recapped the first two days, which after some reminding Adrian did recall. After that however it got sketchy and Luka did not want to traumatize him with the details. "You weren't really with it much on the third day, sleeping on and off when the hormones weren't in control."

Adrian wondered what had happened then, and why was Luka pointedly not looking at him as he said that. It must have been pretty awful if Luka was skirting around the subject, as Adrian had come to know the young man as being very upfront and honest with everyone. "Luka, whatever happened thank you for being there for me. I don't know if I could have gotten through a heat on my own, I've always had my father, Natalie, and my doctor taking care of me. But I realize I want to know how to take care of myself, how to be a better omega, one who's not ashamed of who he is. You've made me face this part of myself that I was so scared to even acknowledge before. Thank you Luka for everything."

Luka felt heat fill his cheeks as Adrian beamed happily at him. He'd been such an enormous pervert during Adrian's heat and the shame was nearly too much to bear. "I don't deserve any sort of credit Adrian, you've trusted people all your life to look out for your best interests and have been horribly used and lied to. I'm glad you're learning to trust yourself for once but I have to confess I am not worthy of that trust whatsoever. I couldn't keep myself under control like I promised you. I failed at being a strong, reliable alpha for you and I'm so sorry Adrian."

Adrian's smile wilted, "Luka what happened? Whatever it was can't be that bad, I'm alright, you got me through my heat."

Luka squeezed his eyes shut, his heart clenching at the sincere, kind voice that he felt like he'd betrayed. "I touched you Adrian and myself. I knew I shouldn't have, I knew better but I did and there's no excuse good enough for that. I'm so sorry."

Adrian quickly took stock of his body, realizing what Luka had just told him. His body still felt heavy and tired, muscles weak, but there was no pain, and even though he was naked under the blanket he wasn't all that surprised. "Did we have sex?"

Luka's eyes flew open, and he shook his head vehemently, "No, I swear Adrian I never would have let it get that far. But we never talked about exactly what would happen while you were under the control of your heat, and while I guess it can be different for everyone the one thing that stays the same is the reason for the heat, to have an alpha breed you. The pheromones you secrete during a heat are supposed to attract an alpha, who usually goes into a rut and the two will mate as many times as possible in the few days it lasts. I didn't go into a rut because you still had the suppressants in your system but I got more caught up in it then I thought I would."

"Ok, I understand that but if we didn't have sex, what did we do? You said you touched me, did I touch you?" Adrian asked, his head spinning at the implications, while his memory was proving no help.

"Do you remember the sorts of things we were trying out right before your heat? The kissing and licking?" Luka asked, getting a nod from Adrian. "We did some more of that, but you were pretty aroused and I didn't know if I was supposed to stop you from doing what you felt you needed to so basically I just tried not to take it any further."

A blush was now staining Adrian's cheeks as his imagination started supplying him with multiple ideas of what he could have possibly been doing. "Ok, maybe I don't need more details. I'm probably never going to remember it even if you tell me, and we didn't have sex which is a relief. Not that I wouldn't maybe want to do that with you sometime, but not under the effects of my heat."

Luka nodded in agreement, a sigh of relief leaving him as Adrian rambled. 

"So are we still good then? You still want to be my boyfriend?" Adrian asked shyly, not sure where the two of them stood anymore after learning things had gone further than either had originally planned.

Luka's eyes widened in surprise at the question and he quickly grabbed both of Adrian's hands, catching the blonde's full attention. "Of course Adrian, you didn't do anything wrong. I was the one who took advantage of you, I never meant for it to go that far. I figured you'd hate me when you found out."

"I could never hate you, Luka, especially for something like that. You took care of me, someone else may have taken it farther and then blamed me for it afterward. I'm sorry I couldn't have warned you what you were getting into by agreeing to stay with me and I hope I didn't act too badly," Adrian replied earnestly, ducking his head in embarrassment.

"You didn't act badly Adrian like I said before you didn't do anything wrong. You were being ruled by your hormones," Luka consoled, leaning forward to kiss him on the forehead.

"I'm kinda glad I can't remember it then, I'm pretty sure I'd be way too embarrassed to look at you, but at the same time we'd barely even kissed before my heat hit so I guess I wish I could remember if we did more than that," Adrian admitted, his face scarlet.

Luka gulped, his mouth going dry as his brain immediately replayed the last 24 hours for him in vivid detail. Adrian's hand wrapped around his hard, leaking cock, head tossing from side to side as his hips canted needily off the mattress. "Yeah, if we ever decide to take things further physically we'll make sure it's nowhere near time for your heat, okay?"

Adrian nodded and scooted closer on the bed to Luka, cuddling against the warm body as Luka wrapped his arms around him. Still lethargic and worn out, the two quickly fell back to sleep, both glad to put the last few days behind them and look forward to starting their new relationship.


	4. Lie To Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for every one who has read, commented and liked this story. This is the final chapter and hopefully it turned out half as good as I hoped it would. Fight scenes are not very easy for me to write so the one in this chapter was brief. As a whole this was a difficult one to wrap up, it took weeks for me to figure out how to tie up the loose ends without leaving gapping plot holes. If you find any however, let me know and I'll work on them! Hope you enjoy!

Saying good-bye to Luka and his mom felt like the hardest thing Adrien had to do in years. Logically he knew it wasn't forever, he could see Luka anytime he wanted, heck, as Cat Noir, he could even spend time with Luka as Viperion. What he didn't like, was having to leave the comfort and familiarity of the Liberty and its inhabitants. Adrien wanted nothing more than to burrow under the blankets with Luka and ignore the world for a bit longer. No school, no homework, no trying to keep his hero identity from being discovered, no photoshoots, press conferences, or demanding schedules from his father. Geez, his life was a hectic mess right now. Anarka was always welcoming smiles and warm hugs, while just looking at Luka gave Adrien butterflies in his stomach. 

However, he had a lot to think about and he knew he'd avoid it like the plague if he stayed any longer with the Coffaines. Even if he couldn't remember all the details about what happened during his heat, there was still enough hinted at by Luka for him to seriously consider letting the doctor knock him out again next time. Especially if he was going to do what he'd been mulling over today.

Luka hadn't made him feel bad about whatever he'd been like when his omega had taken over during his heat. He hadn't teased or taunted him and he certainly hadn't come anywhere near calling him a whore or a slut; which had been his biggest fear. Anarka had let him know that his father had stopped by and knew he'd been there, experiencing his heat while Luka cared for him; which had nearly caused a panic attack. Thankfully his father hadn't seen him, but Adrien was worried about the repercussions once he returned home. 

Adrien stiffened his spine as he walked up the front steps of his house, he refused to be intimidated by his father any longer. Either Gabriel Agreste could accept that he had an omega as a son, or not, but either way, Adrien would not let it shame him. To his friends and Luka, he was Adrien Agreste, who loved music, video games, and bad cat puns, and his birth status didn't matter at all. He was stronger than most people gave him credit for, he was Cat Noir and had saved Paris more times over than he could remember; even if he couldn't tell anyone. He may have been born an omega but it didn't define him, he was tired of hiding his true nature because even with it the people who mattered most in his life loved him.

"Father, I'm home," Adrien announced, walking through the front doors and standing in the foyer.

Almost immediately Gabriel strode in, Natalie scurrying behind him. His father's look was assessing, and seeing no visible problems crossed his arms over his chest with a huff. "I take it your heat is over then?"

Adrien nodded, "Yes father, the Coffaines took very good care of me. I'm sorry I missed the photoshoot the other day, I shouldn't have lied to you about what was happening or where I was."

Gabriel's eyebrow shot up, "Indeed, it was quite the ordeal trying to get your friend Nino to give up any information about you. Then once he did I was shocked to learn you were incapacitated in the hands of the Coffaines; who I'm sure I specifically ordered you not to see anymore."

Adrien could feel his resolve weakening under the perturbed stare of his father. He really hated making him displeased in any way, he tried so hard to win his favor and approval and then turned around and did this. "Luka is my friend father, I care about him a lot and the Coffaines are not bad influences like you believe. I'm old enough to make my own choices about who I hang out with, I can't stay here under lock and key for the rest of my life."

Gabriel rubbed tiredly at his forehead with a sigh, "The Coffaines are radicals Adrien, you have no idea the sort of long term effect associating with them could mean. And as far as spending your heat with them, that was incredibly thoughtless. That alpha of theirs could have done anything with you he wanted and you would have been too vulnerable to stop him. If the media finds out you had sex with him it'll create a scandal so large I'm not sure even I could fix it."

Adrien flushed in embarrassment and anger, "I didn't have sex with Luka father, he didn't do anything worthy of the media's attention or your scorn. The Coffaines don't think being an omega is anything to be ashamed about, their daughter Juleka is an omega and they don't lie about it to anyone."

"That's because they don't care about their own self-image, they have nothing to protect. Whether you like it or not Adrien you are a public image, you're always being watched, evaluated, and held to a higher standard than others. You have to be better than some worthless omega to make it in life, especially as part of the family brand. Being a beta gives you that edge you need to succeed. People will follow you when you take lead, they'll trust your word is true and none of that would be possible if they knew you were an omega. I wish you could see what I've done to protect you, Adrien. This is all for your benefit," Gabriel replied.

Adrien wasn't sure what to say to all that, it sounded like his father was looking out for his best interests, he just wished it were in a better way. His father was too bullheaded to see his side of things and would likely never change his opinion concerning omegas. Adrien wouldn't let that stop him, his eyes had been opened too far, he'd seen more truth about omega natures in a few days with the Coffaines then 16 years with his father. "I'm not going to hide any more father, I'll agree to keep my heat on a predetermined schedule and to the doctor putting me to sleep during it, but I won't keep taking the suppressants and deny what I am. Being an omega is nothing to be ashamed about and I'm sorry you're so embarrassed by me that you've felt you had to cover it up for my entire life, but the people's opinions that truly matter to me don't care what I am. Let the press say what they want, you can even blame it on me if you'd like and tell them that I didn't want anyone to know so it'll save you some face, but I'm done with the lies."

Before Gabriel had a chance to respond to his son's impassioned speech, which he thought was foolhardy and childish, Adrien stormed upstairs, his bedroom door slamming shut with a bang that reverberated throughout the entire manor. Good grief that boy was going to be the end of him, he'd bring down the entire Gabriel brand with a few careless words and thoughtless actions, ruining his entire life's work. How had he managed to raise such a stubborn, short-sighted son was beyond him. "Natalie, what sort of repercussions can we expect if Adrien goes through with this half baked plan of his?"

Natalie jumped in surprise as Gabriel snapped at her, almost fumbling her tablet as she scrolled through multiple public opinion polls, omega rights groups, and the personnel files of everyone on the Gabriel brand board. "For the most part, this generation is very liberal in their acceptance of omegas as part of society. In fact, it seems there is barely any disclosure anymore about whether you're an alpha, beta, or omega in any sort of social situation. It's strictly banned to ask it on a job interview application any more and there seems to be a very open, and welcoming vibe for omegas in most places where only alphas were allowed before such as certain colleges, sports, and job fields. Perhaps by Adrien coming out about his status, it could boost the Gabriel brand's public opinion."

Gabriel visibly shuddered at the mere thought of Natalie's suggestion. The only reason Adrien wasn't the typical simpering, weak-bodied, adle minded, lust-crazed omega was because he had worked tirelessly to make him strong in every way possible. He was groomed to be a beta and a few omega friendly public opinion polls weren't going to make being anything less worth the risk of exposure. "He needs to see the real nature of omegas and alphas. The Coffaines have brainwashed him, and one tolerant alpha is the exception to the rule, not the majority. The scorn and ridicule for omegas are still very much prevalent in society, especially among the older, stronger alphas that Adrien will have to be around in his career. If they found out he was an omega they would take every advantage available, they would jump on him and tear him to pieces in the most public, humiliating way possible. I hate to expose Adrien to this cruel, vicious reality but it's for his own good."

Natalie's eyes widened in shock as she realized where her boss's line of thinking was headed. Adrien was still young, still learning the ways of the world while trying to get out from under his father's rather heavy-handed direction. If Gabriel was about to do what she feared he was, then it could very well break the boy in a way he'd never recover from. 

The following day was a school day and Adrien found himself nervously glancing around him as he walked into the courtyard and towards his locker. He'd been off his suppressants since he started his heat and he was starting to feel the differences. Adrien had never really noticed his father's alpha scent that permeated their house, but this morning it was almost overwhelming. It hadn't made him feel good, however, which from the hours of tireless research on alpha/omega dynamics he'd been looking up last night, it should have. School was now a whole other world, there were new scents everywhere and his head felt like it was on a constant swivel as his nose twitched spastically. His hands were trembling as he fumbled with his locker combination and he froze as Nino greeted him. 

"Yo Adrien, what's up? Missed you at school these last few days," Nino said, slapping a hand on his back before his friendly smile slipped into a thoughtful frown. "Dude, you do not look ok. Do you need to go to the nurse?"

Adrien shook his head, "Just getting over a bad stomach bug, guess there are still too many smells around for me."

Nino slouched down against the lockers beside Adrien, "Yeah those are the worst. I couldn't look at anything with tomato sauce for a month after I was sick last time. Oh, you know what helped me? Menthol cream! Rub a little under your nose and it'll block out everything else for hours."

"Do you think the nurse might have some?" Adrien asked hopefully.

"Yep! She's the one who suggested it to me. She said it was the only way she got through cold and flu season without getting sick right along with all the rest of us," Nino laughed, getting a wan smile from Adrien.

Twenty minutes later Adrien settled down in his seat in homeroom, his nose filled with the powerful scent of menthol. So far even sitting as close to his friends as he currently was nobody had mentioned anything about his scent changing and he breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps he'd get through the rest of school without anyone even realizing it. Although that was the best outcome he could hope for, he knew he should probably tell Nino the truth at least. His friends' reactions would tell him how he should handle telling the rest of society like he wanted to do.

Lunchtime was awkward, sitting around Nino, Alya, Marinette, and others from their class made it impossible for Adrien to say anything and he snagged Nino's sleeve as they began to pack up to head back to class.

"Nino, can I talk to you for a second, please?" Adrien asked.

Nino waved Alya and Marinette good-bye and settled back down at the table, now empty save for the two of them. "Of course Adrien, what's up? Still not feeling good?"

"It's not that, your advice about the cream was right on; it's helped a ton already. I need to tell you something and I don't know how you're going to react," Adrien replied, his eyes dropping nervously to the top of the table.

"Hey, we're best buds aren't we? You can tell me anything Adrien and I promise it'll never change things between us," Nino assured.

"It's not something I can just tell everyone yet, especially since my father completely disagrees with me about it. But if I can't tell you Nino then I might as well keep lying about it and I'm sick and tired of doing that," Adrien replied.

"If you don't want to tell anyone else I'm cool with that Adrien, I swear I won't breathe a word of it," Nino said.

Adrien gave Nino a tentative smile and took a deep gulp of air, "I'm an omega."

Nino's face was blank for several heartbeats as if he hadn't even heard Adrien before his eyebrows seemed to rise into his hairline as his eyes widened comically. "No way. You always said you were a beta, though with all the cologne you wear it's not like anyone could tell. Man, some of that stuff made my nose burn."

"It was all a lie my father made up to get me in good with photographers, agents, and the older alphas who are on the Gabriel brand board. He thought nobody would trust an omega, so I've been on suppressants since I was 13," Adrien explained, earning a gobsmacked look from Nino.

"Oh man, that is so messed up Adrien. I don't care if you're an omega, I don't think anyone of our friends would either, though I have no idea what your fans are gonna think. Is your father going to blow a gasket when he finds out you're telling people?" Nino asked.

"I already let him know I wasn't going to be taking the suppressants any longer and I'd tell people if I wanted to. Eventually, I want to make some sort of announcement to my fans but I am kind of worried that my father will try to shut me down or sweep it under the rug," Adrien said. 

Nino nodded, "Yeah I could totally see him doing that too. Man, and I thought controlling my hormones while dating Alya was hard, you've been doing it for years! So why the sudden change in heart?"

"My father wants me to marry Kagami, so he can gain ties to the Asian market through her family and so I can keep up the lie about being a beta," Adrien explained.

"When did he drop that bombshell?" Nino gasped in surprise. 

"A week or so ago, we're supposed to be having dinner with her family this Friday to discuss the final plans but I've got to figure a way out of it before that," Adrien replied.

"Hence the reason for going off the suppressants then? Kinda hard to keep saying you're a beta when you smell like an omega. Not that you do! I mean, all I can smell is your cologne and like something under that but I can barely make it out," Nino flushed, as Adrien laughed.

"It's alright Nino, I get it. I also stopped taking the suppressants because I realized I don't even know what it means to be an omega. Except for last week, I've never even gone through a heat the normal way, my father always has me put under by a doctor every few months. I want to know who I am Nino, even if being a male omega makes me weird and some people don't like me anymore because of it," Adrien replied, meeting Nino's smiling face as he reached across the table to squeeze Adrien's hand.

"It doesn't make you weird, dude. And I can't speak for everyone but myself and probably most of our friends we still care about you, no matter what. If you don't want to tell anyone else, that's cool and I totally respect that but if you want I'll stand right by you and support you while you tell the others," Nino said.

Adrien felt his heart clench, between Luka and Nino he had two of the best friends anyone could ever ask for. He was pretty sure Nino was right, he couldn't image Alya or Marinette freaking out anymore drastically than Nino did which was hardly at all. Even as Cat Noir he'd confided in Marinette several times about his love issues with Ladybug and she'd always been so kind and caring towards him. It was no wonder he'd developed a slight crush on her as well as the years went by, though he knew she too had a secret admirer and didn't want to try competing with that. "Would you mind being there while I tell Marinette and Alya after school today Nino?"

"Of course not Adrien. Do you want to do it right after or come over to my house?" Nino asked.

"Maybe your house would be better, at least I wouldn't have to worry about anyone else overhearing," Adrien said, earning an agreeing nod from his friend before they left the table to head to class.

Adrien smiled down at the text message he'd just received from Luka as he waited with Nino for Marinette and Alya. He'd asked how Adrien's day had gone if he'd told anyone yet and if he needed to talk he was welcome to come over. His smile must have been more obvious than he'd thought because Nino gave him a weird look before glancing at his phone screen.

"Who are you talking to that's making you smile like that?" Nino asked.

"Huh? Luka, uh no, nobody! I'm not talking to anyone, what smile?" Adrien babbled, trying desperately to shut his phone off and shove it in his pocket. It missed the pocket completely and Adrien yelped as it slipped from his fingers.

"Here you go," Marinette said, deftly catching the falling cell phone mere centimeters from the ground and handing it back to Adrien who gaped in shock. "Something wrong?"

"Only Adrien being his usual weird self, I'm sure," Alya replied, giving Adrien a shrewd look that caused him to recoil into Nino.

Nino threw an arm around Adrien's shoulders, the blonde's frame shaking slightly and he helpfully steered him away from the school. "There's no need to worry, they're gonna be fine with it. And dude seriously, if someone makes you smile like that then it doesn't matter who it is, I'm happy for you."

Adrien gulped nervously, coming out about being an omega was enough to stress over, he hadn't planned on revealing that he was also bisexual and now in a relationship with Luka Coffaine. Why couldn't things just go according to plan once in his lifetime?

After another long explanation to both Marinette and Alya about himself and why he'd decided to reveal the truth, Adrien stood nervously waiting for some sort of reaction from the girls in Nino's bedroom. Marinette looked properly stunned while Alya's facial expression went from surprise to calculating. Suddenly the girl stood up and went over to her backpack and began rummaging through it before brandishing a slightly crumpled newspaper.

"Care to explain this then, Mr. Betrothed?" Alya asked, tossing the newspaper into Adrian's hands.

Nino peeked over Adrien's shoulder as they read the headline, Adrien moaning in recognition the moment he did. "I was trying to get the Tsurugi's to cancel the engagement. I thought if they saw some photos of me dating someone else maybe they'd decide I wasn't right for Kagami."

"So who was that guy?" Nino asked, causing an embarrassed flush to flood Adrien's cheeks. 

"Um, it was...nobody?" Adrien tried, earning disbelieving stares from all three of his friends.

Nino smirked, "Ah, the same nobody you were texting earlier?"

Adrien bit his tongue, he hated lying to his friends, especially Nino. "It doesn't matter, it didn't work anyway. My father was furious of course, but since this newspaper is so small I doubt the Tsurugi's saw it."

"Well, that just means you need to think bigger than dude! Proclaim your undying love from the top of the Eiffel Tower, get a skywriter to tell them how you feel across the heavens as the sun sets, make a public announcement that will be aired all across France Adrien," Nino proclaimed, as both Marinette and Alya burst into giggles.

Adrien collapsed bonelessly onto the couch, "It's no good, my father's plans will not be waylayed. The final discussions are happening this Friday and with my luck, I'll be married by the end of the school year."

"What about your plans to announce that you're an omega to everyone? If you do that then the Tsurugi's may not want to have you marry Kagami anymore, right?" Marinette asked.

"That was part of my plan, but I don't even know what to say. How would I prove that I'm really an omega? What if nobody will listen?" Adrien replied.

"What you need is a good angle, something that will interest people and get them to listen. Just telling them that you've been lying about who you are and coming clean is great, and it'll cause a stir for a little while but then it'll die down and nobody will care anymore," Alya said, pacing across the bedroom in thought. 

"Why did your father think he needed to lie about you being a beta anyway Adrien?" Marinette asked.

"He doesn't think anyone in the fashion world takes omegas seriously. It's an alpha's job to protect omegas or they'll get taken advantage of and used. He wants me to take over the Gabriel Agreste brand when he retires but the board are all alphas with strong connections and a lot of money, if they knew I was an omega they might not think I could handle running the company," Adrien explained.

"Oh Adrien, I had no idea. I'm so sorry," Marinette consoled, hugging Adrien.

"Alphas can be such idiots sometimes. There is nothing wrong with being an omega, they can be just as smart and strong as any alpha. I'm sorry Adrien, but your father is stuck in the dark ages, nobody thinks like that anymore. Maybe we should hold a rally, or a protest or a parade in honor of all the accomplishments omegas have made," Alya suggested, getting a thumbs up from Nino and a smile from both Adrien and Marinette.

"How many omegas do we know?" Adrien asked.

Alya and Marinette quickly got to work listing as many as they could think of and any people they thought they might ask, like any customers of Marinette's parent's bakery and all their teachers at school. The list grew as Nino and Adrien tossed around ideas for the omega rally. 

"We need to get as many support groups as possible to show up as well as tons of media coverage. Kagami's parents may have missed a small-time newspaper article but they'll never miss this if it's splashed across every tv in Paris," Alya commented with a grin.

"I'll see if I can't get Chloe to work her magic with the mayor, maybe we can set this up on the Champ de Mars by the Eiffel Tower," Adrien said, texting Chloe to meet up later.

"How do you think Chloe is going to react to the news?" Marinette asked, a worried frown on her face.

Adrien paused in his text, his face clouding over slightly. Nino once again threw a comforting arm around Adrien, squeezing next to him on the couch. "It'll be fine, Chloe's known you for like your whole life, right? She adores you dude, there is literally nothing that could make her not like you."

Adrien nodded, "You're right Nino, I've always been able to count on Chloe when it matters. She may seem pretty shallow and self-absorbed most of the time but that's just an act she puts on to keep other people from finding out how much she cares."

The rest of the day slipped away in much the same manner as topics for the omega rally were discussed and finer details were hammered out. Wednesday Alya was going to make a proclamation on her website about Adrien Agreste's Omega Pride Rally happening Friday afternoon while Nino and Marinette spread the word to as many people as possible. If it all played out the way Adrien was hoping, he could halt his father's plan of dinner with the Tsurugi's before the first course was served.

"This is not happening. Natalie, tell me this is not happening!" Gabriel raged, pacing irritably across the floor of his atelier.

Natalie stood further across the room, up against a wall, trying diligently to keep out of her employer's way. "There are several papers that are reporting on the story sir, as well as a handful of online sources as well. The news seems to be spreading by the minute."

"Two days Natalie, he had to behave for two more days! Why doesn't he understand how important this is? My reputation will be ruined after this, the Gabriel Agreste brand will be nothing more than trash," he yelled.

"We should start a statement of our own sir. Head this off before it gets out of hand. If we try to shut it down, if you oppose Adrien openly this could go badly for you both. At best they see him as an irresponsible child, lashing out at his father, at worst they see you as a liar and they lose trust and faith in you," Natalie replied.

Gabriel ran his hands through his hair with a huff, "Or we could cause a bigger scene and distract everyone from this omega rally altogether. If we play our cards right Natalie, we'll be done in time for a late dinner with the Tsurugi's."

By Friday afternoon the entire town was buzzing with news of the omega rally, and the teachers could barely keep their students on task. Chloe had taken it upon herself to help set up the entire event, easily wrangling her father into making a public appearance and a speech. Alya had over a dozen omega support groups showing up as well as several key omega speakers who would talk about the oppression and difficulties that they faced and how everyone could work to remedy that. Nino, Juleka, Rose, Ivan, and Luka were all working on music for the rally and had sent out a letter to see if Jagged Stone would possibly make an appearance. It had pretty much been completely taken out of Adrien's hands and he was slightly grateful for that. It had turned into a much bigger task than he'd originally planned and his friends were coming at it from every angle possible. Nobody had made a fuss when they'd found out that week that Adrien was doing this because he had been hiding his true nature all his life, they had all been supportive and excited about putting the rally together.

Adrien had twenty minutes between the end of school that day and when the rally was to begin and his nerves were starting to wreak havoc with him. He'd locked himself in a bathroom stall right after his last class for a quick change of clothes and to try calming himself down. "I can't believe I'm going to go through with this."

"Well, you could back out now, run home, hide under your covers and never come out, but your friends went to an awful lot of trouble helping you," Plagg mocked, floating casually around the bathroom stall.

"I know Plagg, I'm not going to back out now, I just can't believe that at the beginning of the week I was afraid to tell Nino and now I'm about to announce it to all of Paris. What do you think my father will say?" Adrien asked fearfully.

"Don't worry so much about that Adrien. Your friends have had your back all week, and even if some people react badly the ones who matter will still be there for you. Not to mention Luka will be there with Kitty Section, so you get to watch him play again," Plagg smirked.

"Yeah you're right Plagg, they all took it way better than I ever could have hoped for, even Chloe. I thought she was going to scream at me when I told her but she confessed to already knowing," Adrien replied.

"Makes sense, she's been your friend since you two were kids. If anyone was going to know it was her. She sure did a good job at keeping a lid on it all these years though," Plagg said with a nod.

"Adrien? Are you in here?" Luka's voice came through the bathroom door.

"Yeah Luka, I'm here," Adrien replied, feeling his heart rate spike.

"Calm down lover boy or you're going to have a panic attack," Plagg cautioned, as Adrien tried taking deep gulps of air, his face flushed and sweaty.

Coming out of the bathroom stall, Adrien hesitantly met Luka's concerned teal gaze as he stood with his back to the bathroom door, effectively blocking anyone else from entering. "You okay?"

Adrien nodded, his voice trapped in his suddenly tight throat.

"He's lying, he was freaking out not five seconds ago," Plagg hissed, causing Adrien to duck his head and Luka's gaze to narrow.

"I know you want to go through with this, I know it's important to you, but not if you have to force yourself, Adrien," Luka said.

"See he understands! You've already told everyone who matters, Adrien, why make it public gossip?" Plagg asked.

"Because I want things to change, I don't want people thinking omegas are useless anymore. I want people to try respecting them and treating them like everyone else. I want..." Adrien trailed off, not able to finish his last thought.

"You want your father to respect you too," Plagg finished with a heavy sigh.

Adrien nodded, the tightness in his throat had spread to his chest, leaving him completely unable to speak.

"Adrien I get it, I do. When I was younger, right after my dad left my mom I wanted to prove to him that I was worth coming back for. I tried to do everything right, I tried to be what I thought he wanted but I just made myself miserable. I didn't even really know him, and he didn't leave because I wasn't good enough he left for his own reasons. What I needed to learn was that the only person I needed to be good enough for was me. I needed to be proud of myself, I needed to be able to look myself in the mirror and be happy with who looked back at me," Luka said, moving towards Adrien and setting a hand on his shoulder. "So even if nobody believes you today, even if this whole rally goes sideways, can you honestly look yourself in the face and say you're proud of what you tried to do today?"

Adrien slowly looked up at Luka, the question burning through his mind. Was he proud of himself? What did he have to be proud of? He was essentially using all these people just to tell everyone his big lifelong secret so he could get out of an arranged marriage. The reality settled heavily on his heart and he shook his head. "I didn't want it to get this out of hand Luka, I'm so sorry."

Luka pulled Adrien into a hug, smiling as the blonde immediately nuzzled his neck, seeking out his scent. Without the suppressants, Luka could finally pick up on the smell of stress and fear that his omega was feeling even through the heavy cologne. "You have nothing to apologize for Adrien. Even if you don't decide to go through with your big announcement today, you've brought together all the omegas of Paris and pulled off one of the biggest support rally's I've ever seen. This couldn't have been done by just anyone Adrien, especially some useless omega. You're so much more than you think you are."

"Ya kid, I've only been telling you that for years, but maybe if Luka tells you enough you'll start listening," Plagg snipped, causing Adrien to chuckle at the pouting, sulky kwami.

The sight that greeted Adrien as he and Luka finally made it to the park by the Eiffel Tower was nothing short of breathtaking. The entire green space was roped off, a large stage with lights and a podium draped in white was at one end where the mayor and Chloe stood getting the final touches done. Two dozen pop up tents ranged in a semi-circle around the other half of the park, banners, and signs posted proclaiming them as omega friendly groups, from employment agencies to college frat houses and everything in between. Several people ranged around with colorful pamphlets handing them out to the onlookers. A band was setting up between the two areas, the stage twice the size of the one Chloe was orchestrating. Adrien could see Ivan hoisting Rose on his shoulders as she tried to string electrical cables across the top of a lighting structure while Juleka waved her arms around directing the rest of the people setting up their instruments.

"Jagged Stone came?" Adrien gasped, recognizing his assistant who was standing off to the side of the stage.

Luka grinned, "Chloe can be very persistent and I think she might have conned Marinette into helping as well."

"I can't believe this many people showed up," Adrien commented in awe.

"Adrien, there you are! Chloe wants a final check on the schedule to make sure everything is ready," Nino shouted, running up to the two of them, waving a Fushia colored paper in his hands.

"Um, sure, " Adrian nodded, glancing over the paper in growing shock. Most of what they'd talked about earlier in the week was here, but then the rest of it was completely new. 

"I told Chloe she was going overboard, but once people found out you were doing this they started calling in wanting to participate and she just kept adding more names. We'll be here 'til midnight if everyone on that list wants to talk for more than five minutes each," Nino laughed.

Adrien wasn't even sure what to say, he hadn't thought much past just trying to confess to a few camera and newspaper reporters, let alone a couple of hundred people. "It looks incredible Nino, I don't recognize most of these organizations but if Chloe has already vetted them then I'm sure it'll be great. When did you want me to speak?"

"You can go right after the mayor gives his speech if you want, but honestly Adrien if you don't want to go through with your whole confession bit you can leave that out. Chloe thinks it would be enough if you just said how much you wanted to show your support of omegas and want to see change for them in the future, and I totally agree dude; no pressure," Nino replied.

Adrien gave a quick nod of his head and handed him back the schedule, waving as he took off back towards the podium stage.

"What are you going to do?" Luka asked.

"I still want to tell people Luka, I don't want to hide anymore. Look at everyone, they're not here to ridicule or mock omegas, they're here to support them. They all came out here for people like me, who are afraid and ashamed of what we are. How can I back out now?" Adrien said, getting a sympathetic nod from Luka.

Adrien climbed the steps to the podium after the mayor had given a very nice speech about equality for omegas nearly 45 minutes later. Everyone who had attended was crowded in front of the stage and broke out into loud cheering when he walked up. Adrien grinned at the near swooning group of fans he saw who held homemade signs in front of them proclaiming their undying love and devotion. "Once again, thank you everyone for coming today. I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude at seeing so much support for a very under-appreciated group in our society. I have to admit when my friends and I started planning this we had no idea that it would gain such monumental traction, but thanks to people like Mayor Dubois and his charming daughter Chloe this has turned into quite the event." The crowd once more burst into applause and both Mayor Dubois and Chloe stepped back on stage for a bow. 

"I never realized the sort of pressures that were put on omegas or the sort of narrow views some people held about them until very recently. I want to be able to help change this mindset and open new doors to omegas that were never possible before. We don't talk about it in our society much, the unfair treatment of omegas is oftentimes swept under the rug as just the way things work. I don't agree with this, however, and I have been living with the same stigma in my own life. Many of you know I'm a beta, it's what I've always told people and it's precisely why I started this rally. I am in fact an omega, but fear of rejection, of hatred has made me lie to everyone, including my friends and fans all my life. I've kept my true nature hidden for so long I don't even know what I am, what it means to be an omega. So I hope that while I try to help others, all you other omegas and those who support them can help me as well. I don't want myself or anyone to ever feel ashamed of being who they are ever again!" Adrien said, the crowd staring fixatedly at him in surprise before another round of raucous cheering, hooting, and hollering broke out like a tidal wave. Giving a wave, his smile splitting his face nearly in half, Adrien only barely made it to the bottom of the stage steps before Chloe, Marinette, Nino, Luka, Ivan, Rose, Juleka and several more people slammed into him in a massive bear hug. 

The sheer amount of support and understanding that was flowing from his friends in waves nearly undid Adrien's emotional control and he took several deep steadying breaths, his hands gripped tightly to whoever had wrapped their arms around him first. 

"I never actually understood why you never said anything earlier Adri-kins, it's not like you to lie. And if you didn't want anyone else to know, I wouldn't have blabbed," Chloe said, pressing a kiss to Adrien's temple.

"I know Chloe, thank you for understanding. You've been a true friend for my whole life," Adrien replied with a smile.

"Uh dudes, I really hate to break up this omega lovefest but something is going on at the Eiffel Tower. I think I can hear screaming," Nino interrupted, glancing behind him.

The group hug broke up and everyone watched as something large and furry scaled the tower in great leaps and bounds as pedestrians scrambled to get away down below.

"Holy cow, you'll never believe what that thing is..." Alya said in awe, handing her telephoto lens camera to Marinette beside her.

Everyone glanced at Marinette expectantly and she dutifully looked through the camera, her mouth dropping open in surprise. "It's a dog."

"From the size, I'd say it's more like a..." Alya was cut off as a braying howl split the air, making everyone within earshot turn and look. "Wolf, definitely a wolf."

"That's not an ordinary wolf, they can't climb like that. Could it be an akuma?" Luka asked, looking at Adrien purposefully.

"Anything's possible if it is we should try to help people get to safety in case it comes this way," Adrien replied, realizing everyone in the park was still standing and watching the wolf creature scale the tower. "Chloe, get your father to try and get everyone's attention and clear the area. Let's split up and start helping everyone you can."

Chloe nodded and ran back around the podium where her father had been, while Alya, Nino, and Marinette went towards the tents. Ivan, Rose, and Juleka headed for the music stage leaving Luka and Adrien standing together.

"Not quite the way I pictured today going, but I guess I'm glad I got to say what I wanted before the akuma attack," Adrien snickered.

"Would you like some assistance or should I go help the others?" Luka asked.

"Normally I'd say I'd rather have you safe and sound until this is all over, but since I have no idea what we're up against and I'd like to head this off before it reaches the park and all these people, your help would be appreciated," Adrien replied, grabbing Luka's hand and hurrying them across the park and into a secluded alleyway.

As Cat Noir and Viperion reached the bottom of the Eiffel Tower, Ladybug swung in beside them. 

"Hello, my lady, nice to see you again," Cat Noir greeted with a smile.

"Nice to see you too kitty cat, and you Viperion. What made you join us today?" Ladybug asked curiously.

"I was in the area when I noticed the commotion," Viperion replied.

Another long, deep howl vibrated through the air, causing Cat Noir to shiver involuntarily. "What was that?"

"I'm not sure, Cat Noir why don't you stay here and make sure everyone gets to safety while Ladybug and I check it out?" Viperion suggested, earning twins looks of surprise from Ladybug and Cat Noir.

For a moment Cat Noir felt a pang of hurt at Virperion's words, did he not trust him to be helpful now that he knew he wasn't a beta anymore? Or did this have something to do with him being overprotective of him now that they were together? Either way, Cat Noir had been doing this far longer than Viperion had and he and Ladybug had a very successful partnership. 

Noticing the rising tension, Ladybug began whirling her yo-yo and gave Cat Noir a reassuring smile. "Don't worry Cat Noir, Viperion and I will have a quick look-see and be right back, okay?"

Cat Noir nodded mutely, still not sure how to address the issue with Viperion without telling Ladybug more than he wanted to.

As Cat Noir began steering the last of the curious onlookers towards safety, Ladybug and Viperion began climbing the Eiffel Tower.

"So what's with sidelining Cat Noir? You've got to know by now that he's perfectly capable of handling anything Hawkmoth throws at us," Ladybug asked, giving Viperion a stern, unhappy look.

Viperion sighed, this was going to be a difficult discussion if he wasn't supposed to out Cat Noir as an omega just yet. "That howl earlier, I'm pretty sure it was from an alpha wolf, and since we don't know what this akuma's abilities might be yet I wanted to air on the side of caution."

Ladybug gave him a disbelieving stare but continued up the side of the tower beside Viperion. "If things start looking bad, remember to activate Second Chance."

Nearly to the top, Ladybug and Viperion stopped as another howl rent the air, followed by several more in quick succession. The alpha they'd been following was hanging onto the very top, looking out over the city while four more shadowy figures crouched around him.

"Where did the others come from?" Ladybug asked in surprise.

"He must have turned them from some of the visitors he passed on his way up. We're outnumbered now, should we call in Cat Noir for backup?" Viperion asked.

"We need to figure out how he did that, I'm going in, activate Second Chance, and let's see what happens," Ladybug answered, a grim and determined look on her face. Viperion instantly understood why Cat Noir would have such a massive crush on the girl even after all these years of unrequited feelings. There was something about her that made you want to follow her lead, something that made you trust she knew what she was doing and everything would work out in the end. 

It was less than a minute later that Viperion was scrambling down the side of the tower, Ladybug dazedly hanging onto him as he tried to find a place to hide while they recouped. 

"What happened?" Ladybug asked, her eyes still a bit unfocused.

Ducking under a support beam, Viperion set Ladybug down and crouched in front of her, putting a steadying hand on her shoulder. "The four new wolves are acting as a pack, they're protecting the head alpha and are attacking in a group. They're stronger than we can handle on our own. If you have any backup we could use it." Marinette nodded and quickly sent out a message to Rena Rouge, Queen Bee, and Carapace.

Suddenly there was a hurried scabbling noise and all five of the wolf akumas raced down the tower, yipping, and growling. Ladybug and Viperion watched nervously from their hiding place, unsure how to stop them.

Cat Noir's eyes widened in shock as five furry figures, leapt to the ground, four of them spreading out in different directions noses pointed towards the sky. The last one, far larger than the others stood on curved hind legs, his drooling muzzle lifted as he once again filled the air with a howl that reverberated deep within Cat Noir's bones. Wrapping his arms around himself, Cat Noir couldn't suppress the full-body shiver that sent him to his knees and bowed his head in submission. 

"Come out, come out wherever you are," the alpha growled, stalking forward a few paces, his eyes shifting from side to side.

Cat Noir thought for a moment the alpha was speaking to him and he huddled behind a park bench, trying to stay out of sight. A bark was heard further down the street, followed by a scream of surprise and one of the wolves grabbed a fleeing woman, dragging her forcefully back to the alpha. The alpha gave a throaty, full-bodied chuckle as the woman was thrown down in front of him in a helpless heap. "You can't hide from me omega, I'm an alpha, I will find you anywhere you go; there is no escape."

The woman screamed, throwing herself onto her hands and knees, desperately trying to crawl away only to have the alpha grab her around the waist and pull her into his arms. "You're mine now!" The alpha grinned manically before licking a long stipe up the side of her neck and biting into her shoulder in a brutal display of dominance. The woman immediately went limp, her eyes fluttering wildly before her body jerked and seized and she flung her arms around the alpha's neck with a guttural moan. Cat Noir watched, completely transfixed as the woman who only two seconds ago was screaming in sheer terror was now wrapping herself around the akuma, moaning and thrusting, overcome with desire. 

The other akumatized wolves dragged back women who fought and cried for help, only to have the same process repeat itself on each one. Clothing was hastily ripped from their bodies as the wolves fondled their skin, licking and nipping with tongues and teeth. Cat Noir jerked his gaze away as the alpha bent a woman over, after removing her pants and underwear, and pistoned his pelvis against hers. Thankfully he was too far away to see details, but he understood immediately what was happening. 

"Such pretty omegas, you're all ours now, just as you should be. We'll breed you until you bear our pups until you're begging us to fill you," the alpha growled victoriously.

Hawkmoth smirked from where he watched over the akumatized people. It had been much easier than he'd expected to find an alpha who was just disgruntled enough over his inability to have the omega mate of his choosing to be susceptible to his powers. This particular alpha had been scorned too many times of late and had been desperate enough that he had been contemplating kidnapping the omega he had his heart set on. He was perfect cannon fodder for Hawkmoth. However, it was a specific omega that he was after, one he needed to prove a point to, for the moment he didn't even care about getting Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous'.

"Alpha listen carefully, there is a very unique omega I need you to find, a male omega named Adrien. He is young and doesn't know his place in the world yet and I need you to show him so he respects strong alphas like you and me. Do this for me and you can have all the omega's Paris has to offer," Hawkmoth coerced.

The alpha sneered slightly, "A male omega? I only like female omegas, males aren't breedable."

"I don't want you to breed him. I only need you to show him how powerful alphas are, that you are in charge and he should respect and treat you as such. He pretends he's a beta to hide himself away and thinks he is equal to alphas. He is disobedient, unruly, and refuses to listen," Hawkmoth replied.

"An omega pretending to be a beta? No omega is equal to an alpha, they are here to serve us, to mate with us, to bear our pups. I will show this omega who is in control, he will know his place Hawkmoth, you can be sure of that," the alpha agreed, tossing the woman he'd been holding to the side. "

The scene was so viscerally shocking that Cat Noir couldn't force himself from his hiding place until he heard Ladybug confronting the akuma, Viperion standing slightly behind her.

"Omega's aren't property, and they should never be forced to do something they don't want," Ladybug said, causing the alpha to growl threateningly, his sharp canines snapping at the air. "Viperion, I'm going to try rescuing the omegas, activate Second Chance in case this doesn't go well."

Viperion nodded and began backing up to get a safe distance away so he wouldn't miss his mark. Cat Noir jumped into action, determined not to let Ladybug face the monstrous wolf alone. Viperion lurched forward as Cat Noir leapt past him, just barely grazing the edge of his arm, an alarmed look on his face.

The fight was over nearly before it began, the four smaller alphas easily catching Ladybug and flinging her into Cat Noir, the two sliding across the ground several feet. Splitting up didn't work any better and both Ladybug and Cat Noir were effectively held at bay. Just as Viperion rest his watch, reinforcements arrived, Rena Rogue, Carapace, and Queen Bee stood beside him as Ladybug and Cat Noir were debriefed on their lack of success.

"Geez, is the big one in the middle doing what it looks like he's doing?" Carapace asked in shock, as both Rena Rogue and Queen Bee paled at the sight of the alpha mating with another helpless female omega.

"Yes, somehow he's able to turn other alphas into wolves and they're attacking omegas," Ladybug explained.

"That's disgusting, absolutely disgusting!" Queen Bee shrieked in outrage.

"How do we stop them Ladybug?" Rena Rogue asked, tearing her eyes away, a determined look crossing her face.

"That's what we were trying to figure out, so far we haven't gotten past the other four. But maybe with a better distraction we can get through," Ladybug replied with a confident smile.

Hawkmoth watched as more Miraculous holders joined the fray, gritting his teeth in annoyance. "Alpha, you must move quickly and find the male omega named Adrien and put him in his place before Ladybug and her friends interfere. Call out the omegas across Paris, make them come to you."

Ladybug and the others turned, their strategy discussion interrupted as the larger alpha howled at the top of his lungs, the ground and buildings shaking from the force. Cat Noir's legs gave out, his eyes glazing over and he began crawling towards the wolves.

"Cat Noir, what are you doing dude?" Carapace asked, Cat Noir not responding in the slightest.

"Um, Ladybug I think we've got a problem," Queen Bee said, pointing to the buildings as people began filing out one by one.

"They're all heading to the alpha, his howl must have acted like a beacon of some sort," Rena Rogue replied.

"What are we going to do? There are dozens of them and more coming!" Queen Bee asked anxiously, pointing down the street where a small horde was forming.

"We need to divert them somehow, if they reach the wolves we won't be able to stop all of them in time," Viperion said.

"But why is it only affecting them? We're fine," Rena Rogue asked, as several more people came out of the buildings, trying to stop their friends and family members from leaving.

"Come to me my omegas, you will all be my mates. We will breed strong, capable alphas and show the world who should be in charge," the alpha roared, as the people crawled and staggered forward. "Spread out my underlings, find me the male omega who would dare think he's on the same level as an alpha. Find me Adrien!"

"They're all omegas, he's got them hypnotized. Where's Cat Noir?" Viperion asked, frantically searching their group.

"He's heading towards the alpha, I thought maybe he was just trying to see what they were doing. Are you saying he's under control too? Cat Noir is an omega?" Carapace asked pointing to where Cat Noir was slinking on hands and knees closer to the waiting wolves.

"Cat Noir isn't an omega! That's ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous," Queen Bee protested, as they realized he was just as entranced as the rest of the omegas.

"Ladybug we need to finish this now, Cat Noir's identity is at risk and that mob is getting closer by the second," Viperion said, his body thrumming with the urge to race in and rescue Cat Noir but not wanting to compromise himself.

"Cat Noir can't help in his condition and the only ones able to get close enough to stop the alpha are omegas. We need someone to pretend to be an omega so we can get past their defenses and then we can attack from the inside," Ladybug suggested.

"Yeah right, who's gonna be that convincing? I don't know about you guys but I'm clearly not an omega," Queen Bee scoffed, twirling her hair and jutting out a well-rounded hip.

"Carapace, I know you're not an omega but with your shield abilities, if you get inside you can help protect Cat Noir and the other omegas," Ladybug suggested, earning a nod of agreement from the turtle hero.

"Whatever we do, we'd better do it fast. Cat Noir is almost to the wolves," Rena Rogue said, pointing to where the omega was heading.

"Viperion keep your Second Chance going, we're going to need as many re-dos for this as possible I think," Ladybug added, as the remaining four began eyeing up their possible attack points.

Carapace did as Ladybug had suggested and hurried to try catching up to where Cat Noir was creeping up to the wolves. He couldn't move too quickly, as most of the hypnotized omegas were moving at a snail's pace and he didn't want to blow his cover. Before Carapace could reach him, one of the wolves grabbed up Cat Noir and eagerly dragged him before the head alpha.

"Oh, what do we have here? Does this strange creature want something?" the alpha laughed haughtily as Cat Noir curled up around the alpha's legs, mewling and purring.

"That is Cat Noir, Alpha. He is one of the people who would see you stopped from claiming your rightful place at the top of society. I didn't know there was another male omega besides my son Adrian, but this presents a perfect opportunity to take his Miraculous and become stronger. Take his ring off and show the world how weak and useless their beloved superhero really is in the face of such a strong, powerful alpha!" Hawkmoth commanded, gleeful over the positive turn of events.

"You will be mine kitten, I'll make you my personal servant. You will stay beside me always and show the others where omegas truly belong," the alpha said, reaching down to place a kiss on Cat Noir's forehead while gently slipping his Miraculous ring from his finger. Cat Noir didn't even realize anything was happening as the black ears, mask, and leather suit began dissolving away to reveal Adrien Agreste pressed tightly to the side of the alpha, smiling contentedly as the alpha gave him attention.

Carapace froze only a few scant feet from where Adrien now stood, the revelation of his identity sinking like a stone in his stomach. Glancing frantically around, he saw Ladybug and Queen Bee trying to distract the other smaller alphas, while Rena Rogue worked to hold back the oncoming omegas and Viperion stood ready to activate his Second Chance. "Viperion, we need Second Chance, now!"

Viperion's gaze swiveled to where Carapace was pointing, his eyes widening in shock as Adrien stood, de-masked beside the alpha. Ladybug and the others still seemed distracted and hadn't noticed quite yet but according to his watch he still had 13 seconds before he could reset it and they could try again. They obviously needed to stop Cat Noir as soon as the alpha howled but as was evident looking at Rena Rogue keeping the omegas from their intended target was going to be almost impossible. 

"Adrien! My son is Cat Noir and Cat Noir is an omega. This makes so much sense now, how did I never see it before?" Hawkmoth gasped, as the alpha took Cat Noir's Miraculous, leaving a sleepy, confused-looking Plagg floating above him. "Alpha, a slight change of plans. That boy is my son Adrien, he is the omega I told you about. I need you to bring him to me as soon as possible. Ladybug and the others will do everything in their power to take him back from you, we must protect him."

The alpha growled irritably at the words Hawkmoth fed into his mind, "This omega is mine, they cannot have him. He needs to learn his place Hawkmoth, his place is beside the strongest alpha; that alpha is me."

"Yes alpha, he needs to learn his lesson about where he belongs. He needs to see the true power of alphas. Bring Adrien to me and we can show him together without the rest of those spandex-clad children getting in our way," Hawkmoth replied.

The alpha nodded in agreement and scooped Adrien into his arms, growling out instructions to his subordinates before hastily climbing up the side of the nearest building and leaping across the rooftops. The four smaller alphas each grabbed a nearby omega female and chased after their leader, leaving Ladybug and the others to try to figure out their next move.

"We have to go after them, I wasn't able to activate my Second Chance before they left but if they're heading somewhere else maybe we'll have an easier time if we're not trying to control dozens of hypnotized omegas," Viperion said, as he and the others regrouped.

As Ladybug and the others raced to keep the alpha in their sight, she stopped suddenly, her hand flying to her mouth in surprise. "I know where they're taking him."

"Where?" Rena Rogue asked.

"The Agreste Mansion, it's the only place that makes sense. But if they're going there, then that means, is Gabriel Agreste involved somehow?" Ladybug wondered.

"Good grief and I thought my family had issues! Does that make Adrien's dad's Hawkmoth?" Queen Bee asked, disbelief clear in her voice.

"I didn't see that coming. I knew I never liked the guy, but really?" Rena Rogue replied with a shake of her head.

"It doesn't matter anymore who Hawkmoth is, we still need to stop him and rescue Cat Noir before the alphas hurt him," Ladybug said, concern furrowing her brows.

"Going up against the akumatized alphas was hard enough, how are we gonna do that and defeat Hawkmoth?" Carapace asked, realizing that at least the girls hadn't realized who Cat Noir was yet.

"We need to break the alpha's hold on Cat Noir, what does the alpha really want?" Viperion asked as everyone exchanged glances.

"Well, obviously he's an egomaniacal, self-centered man who probably couldn't attract the woman he really wanted so now he's taking his impotent rage out on every available omega in the city," Queen Bee huffed, as though it were perfectly obvious.

"You ever think about becoming a relationship counselor, Queen Bee? 'Cause dude, that was deep, harsh but deep!" Carapace exclaimed, making Queen Bee smile proudly.

"If that's true, then it's not specifically Cat Noir that the alpha wants, but an omega he can't have. We need to find that omega and get them to talk, maybe that way it'll resolve his anger," Ladybug added.

With a tentative plan in place, the four surrounded the Agreste manor, hiding while Queen Bee took center stage on the roof. "Oh alpha, I need to speak to you!"

The alpha stalked out from inside the building, glowering at Queen Bee as his subordinates ranged out on either side of him, readying for a fight. "What do you want?"

"As you've so clearly stated, you are now the strongest alpha in Paris and I noticed that you took a male omega with you, you're not thinking of making him your mate, are you?" Queen Bee asked.

The alpha grinned manically at her, "No, he is to be my servant. He will grovel at my feet, love me unconditionally but know that he can't have me because he is truly unworthy."

Queen Bee nodded, "Okay, in that case, who are you planning on taking as your mate? I saw all the omegas you called earlier filling the streets, but you can't be considering all of them? It would take a decade just to find one worthy of your greatness."

The alpha moved forward, circling Queen Bee with a lecherous look in his eye as he rubbed his hands together. "Are you offering yourself to me? You're clearly not an omega."

Queen Bee crossed her arms and gave a superior sniff, "Of course I'm not an omega, or I'd be just as zombified as the rest of them. I'm not interested in fangs and fur, however, if I helped you find your true mate, perhaps you'd put in a good word with Hawkmoth and let me keep my Miraculous? I'll be forever in your debt and will come to your aid whenever you need it."

"My true mate? Why would I care about that when I can have all the omega's of Paris whenever I want?" the alpha snarled.

"Because, you may have turned all the omegas into obedient slaves who will bend over for you anytime you want but that's not real love, real devotion, that's a parlor trick, it's fake. Taking them won't satisfy you, it'll only remind you that you have to force them to want you, rather than have them come willingly. So who is it that you want? Which omega out there do you want more than anyone else, more than dozens of blank-eyed, drooling sycophants?" Queen Bee replied eagerly.

"Mary...I want Mary Duchamp," the alpha whispered, as though he could barely bring himself to admit it.

"Perfect! Now, where can I find this Mary Duchamp? Tell me and I promise to bring her straight to you," Queen Bee wheedled, giving him her most convincing smile.

The alpha snarled, stomping his foot, "You can't, she won't come, she hates me!"

"Well not with that attitude she won't, where's the confident, killer alpha I saw not five minutes ago, ready to take all Paris' omegas for his own? No woman likes a whining, sniveling weak-willed man. Stand up for yourself, be proud of how strong you've become, show this Mary what lengths you'd go to have her. You need to tell her you love her, that you could have anyone you want, but you choose her above all of them. Trust me, nobody could resist that!" Queen Bee replied sternly as if lecturing a child.

The alpha seemed to think about it for a moment, pacing restlessly back and forth, but Queen Bee had made a good argument and the man was moved by her offer. "Fine, find her and bring her to me so I can confess and win her over and you may keep your powers as long as you work for me. She owns a clothing boutique downtown, near the riverfront, called Chic Chateau."

Queen Bee smiled triumphantly, gave a quick bow, and leapt off across the rooftops towards the store.

Down in his atelier, Hawkmoth sized up Adrien who sat in a daze upon the floor, his eyes glossy and unfocused, unable to react to his surroundings or anyone besides the alpha who had entranced him. "I need him responsive Nooroo, how can I get him to learn his lesson if he can't hear me?"

"I'm not sure Master, perhaps the alpha can break the connection between them?" Nooroo suggested, earning an agreeing nod from Hawkmoth. 

"Alpha! I need you to let Adrien out of his trace so I can speak to him. I cannot get him to see the error of his ways when he cannot hear me," Hawkmoth said.

The alpha nodded, he'd lost his interest in the male omega and no longer cared what Hawkmoth wanted the boy for. Soon he would have the mate he wanted if Queen Bee kept her promise. Going up to the boy, the alpha knelt before him and used his thumb and forefinger to pinch a nerve in his neck, causing Adrien to give a brief cry of pain before slumping unconscious to the floor. "The pain overrides the pleasure, when he wakes up he will be out of my control."

Hawkmoth smiled in understanding, "Thank you, now you are free to go and find whatever omegas you want. Paris is yours for the taking alpha."

Moments later Adrien slowly awoke, shaking his head to help clear the odd fog he seemed to be struggling through. The room he was in was fairly dark, the only light coming from a large circular window a man was currently standing in front of. "Hello? Where am I?'

Hawkmoth turned, a grin spreading across his face seeing Adrien's confused look morph into one of surprised horror. "I'm glad to see you awake Adrien, it came as quite a surprise when I saw you prostrating yourself in front of that akumatized alpha earlier. Such shameful behavior does not suit an Agreste." 

Adrien was struck silent as Hawkmoth berated him and then turned to the window, a remote in his hand activating a large computer screen that showed him as Cat Noir crawling across the ground towards the alpha and then curling around his legs while purring like a cat in heat. "I...I don't remember that."

"Well, if a picture is worth a thousand words, how many do you think a video is? I can think of at least one: slut. That is the true nature of all omegas, they want nothing more than to surrender their bodies to the most powerful alpha and do their bidding," Hawkmoth replied, changing the image to another, of the alpha rutting into an omega female he'd captured earlier. The woman drooling, moaning, and eager for his every touch.

Adrien felt his stomach flip as he vaguely recalled seeing that. It had been from further away, not from the particular angle he was seeing it now and it was all the more horrible for it. The video continued, the other wolves gleefully catching hypnotized omegas and shredding their clothing as they suckled on their breasts and touched them intimately all while the women thrashed in pleasure, cries of satisfaction ringing through the air. Tears sprang to Adrien's eyes as he wrenched his gaze away from the sight, the sounds of flesh smacking into flesh, groans, and moans that wouldn't be silenced reverberated through his skull. "Stop it, stop it please!"

Hawkmoth switched off the screen, silence enveloped the room instantly, and Adrien dragged in a deep, ragged breath of air. "Do you understand now Adrien? Do you see what an omega is? This is why they cannot be trusted, why you cannot leave them alone with any alpha except the one that has properly claimed them. They will throw themselves at any alpha that entices them, no matter the circumstances or consequences. They are creatures of lust, controlled by their baser urges, and they will cloud the minds of the alphas around them, turn them into savage monsters."

Adrien nodded weakly, eyes screwed shut, trying to stop the flood of images that wouldn't stop streaming across his vision. "Yes father, I understand."

Hawkmoth froze at the response, and Adrien's head whipped up once he realized what he'd just uttered. "Father?"

Hawkmoth's hand tensed around the cane handle, wanting to deny Adrien's question, but knowing the boy saw through him now. "Nooroo, dark wings fall."

Adrien's mouth went dry as Hawkmoth de-transformed before him, the purple moth shaped mask dissolving away, platinum blonde hair atop a familiar face framed by black glasses was revealed. "How? Why? All this time, it was you?!"

Gabriel sighed heavily, "Yes Adrien, I did all of this in order to capture the Miraculous'. It's been my goal all along to unite them together to achieve my greatest wish, and now thanks to you I am one step closer." Gabriel held up Adrien's Miraculous, the silver ring with a black cat claw in the middle. 

"No, Plagg. What have you done with Plagg?!" Adrien demanded, stumbling to his feet, bracing a hand to the wall behind him.

"Oh, is that the name of your kwami? I assure you, Adrien I have no want to hurt him, he's perfectly fine. Plagg?" Gabriel replied, glancing over his shoulder and motioning towards Adrien.

The small black cat kwami zipped across the room to where Adrien was standing, a happy cry at the sight of his master. "I'm so sorry Adrien when the ring was taken I was too weak to defend you."

"Oh Plagg, I don't care, I'm just glad you're okay. Did you know who Hawkmoth was before this?" Adrien asked.

Plagg shook his head sadly, "No, not really. If I'd been able to talk to Nooroo we may have found out sooner but he was forbidden from meeting with the rest of us kwami's. We did have a theory that it had to be someone we knew, someone close to us, but I swear Adrien if I'd known it was your father I would have said something."

"What about the others Plagg? Where is Ladybug? Have the wolves captured them?" Adrien asked.

"I'm not sure exactly where they are right now, I've been watching the monitors as Hawkmoth has been controlling the alpha but he only sees what the alpha sees. After the alpha brought us here I lost sight of them and so far Hawkmoth hasn't been able to find them again, though he's been pretty focused on you since he found out you were Cat Noir," Plagg replied.

"We need to get out of here and warn the others Plagg," Adrien said, looking around the room for an escape.

"The only way out is through a secret entrance, but it's controlled by the remote in your father's pocket. There are so many cameras around this place I doubt we could make a move without them seeing us. Not to mention if your father is here then Natalie isn't far away and she sees everything," Plagg grumbled.

"They need to know what's happened Plagg. I can't let them walk into a trap, I'd never forgive myself for it. We still don't know how to stop the alpha and I...I can't fight my father," Adrien's shoulders slumped in defeat, the answer to the one question he and Ladybug had been desperate to learn for the last several years feeling like a crushing weight on his heart. "I don't understand how he could do this Plagg. I know he's always been strict and sometimes even a bit forceful but he's ruined so many lives and he's nearly killed me and Ladybug more times than I can count."

Plagg patted Adrien consolingly on the shoulder, it broke his tiny heart to see his friend in so much emotional pain. Fathers weren't supposed to torment their children as much as Gabriel had done to Adrien. "I'm so sorry kid, we can't pick our family but we can pick our friends and you've got a whole bunch of them out there right now looking for you. Especially a certain green-scaled serpent that I'm sure is missing you."

Adrien gave Plagg a watery-eyed smile at the mention of Viperion, his heart lurching painfully at how much he desperately wanted the strong, resilient alpha right now. "I don't know if he'll be able to look at me if he saw what I just did Plagg. And knowing who my father is? How can anyone trust me? I can't even control my hormones enough to keep from throwing myself at an akuma."

"Well, luckily for you, I've been able to pick up a little bit of information that might be helpful. If we can figure out a way to get it to Ladybug," Plagg said, trying to steer the conversation away from the black hole of yawning despair Adrien was heading towards. "I saw you when the alpha brought you in, Hawkmoth couldn't get you to say anything and you didn't even seem to hear him at all. So he called the alpha in and he was able to release you from the hypnotism by pinching a nerve in your neck. He said the pain overrode the pleasure of his powers."

With a new light of determination in his eyes, Adrien cleared his throat loudly, getting his father's attention. "Father, I'm not feeling particularly well, is there any chance I could go rest somewhere, please?"

Gabriel looked over his son, noticing the mild shaking that seemed to be causing his hands to twitch and the pale complexion. The fight with the akumas earlier had obviously proved too strenuous for him, paired with the startling news of who Hawkmoth was and being forcefully stripped of his Miraculous had the boy nearly beyond exhaustion. "Yes of course Adrien, it wouldn't do me any good for you to collapse and I fear you've overdone it for the day. I want you in impeccable shape to have dinner with the Tsurugi's this evening after I've dealt with Ladybug and her friends. Natalie will escort you to your room, rest for now and she will let you know what time dinner will be."

Adrien nodded in acquiescence and Plagg stealthily slipped into his pocket as Gabriel let him out of the atelier to where Natalie was waiting, a surprised eyebrow raised at the sight of him. For the moment Adrien was glad his father was too distracted to notice the kwami's disappearance and hoped it would remain so for a little while longer. 

"I hope you appreciate the trouble it took trying to convince Ms. Duchamps to come with me halfway across Paris to meet with you," Queen Bee said, gently setting Mary Duchamps down on the Agreste manor roof. 

"That's hardly my concern, you're the one who suggested it," the alpha replied nonchalantly, moving towards where Mary was standing, eyeing the creature warily. 

"What are we doing here? Who is that? You said there was a man who was madly in love with me and wanted to meet with me to talk," Mary said, fear lacing her voice.

"More like obsessed," Queen Bee muttered under her breath. "He's right here Mary, he's slightly afflicted at the moment, so don't mind his drool and excess body hair. Think of this like Beauty meets the Beast for the first time, you may be scared but if you choose to love him in return then the spell will be broken and you two can go off together and live happily ever after."

Mary glanced between Queen Bee's strained smile to the alpha uncertainly, "Spell? Happily ever after?"

"Yes, my dear Mary, I have been in love with you for years but you have never been able to see me for what I am. I am a strong, powerful, alpha who wants nothing more than for you to look at me with the same desire in your eyes as I have for you in my heart. I want you to be my omega Mary, stand beside me and be my mate forevermore," the alpha declared, causing the woman's eyes to widen in surprise as Queen Bee tried not to fall over in hysterics at the overplayed drama.

"If you've loved me for that long, then why haven't you said anything sooner?" Mary asked, moving closer as the alpha gently reached out a hand to her.

"I did not think you would return my feelings and I shoved them away as a mere distraction. But recently I have been given the power to woo any omega of my choosing and I realized that dozens, even hundreds of willing omegas mean nothing to me when my heart has already chosen you," the alpha replied, placing a tender kiss on Mary's cheek.

Mary blushed and giggled, "I've never had anyone speak to me like this. I always thought I was too plain and boring for anyone to notice me. Why choose an omega when you can have a beta? Surely you have better options than me."

"None can compare to you my sweet Mary, not to me. Please say you'll give me a chance," the alpha said.

"I'd like to say yes, but I don't know who you are. How did you become like this?" Mary asked.

"He's been akumatized, by me: Hawkmoth. This man has been rudely rebuffed by many omegas in the past thinking they were better than him. He wanted the chance to show them all what he is and put them in their place. So take a good, long look my dear Ms. Duchamp because beneath those pretty words is this creature just waiting to claim you. He wants nothing more than to mate with you, breed you again and again and use you like the worthless omega you are," Hawkmoth interrupted.

Mary shivered at the cruel, cold words and pulled away from the alpha, cringing back into Queen Bee. "I don't want to be used, omegas are more than what you're saying. I have my own successful business and I did it all without the help of an alpha."

"Your timing is horrible as usual Hawkmoth. I can't believe you'd spread such lies about alphas and omegas like that. The only cruel, dominating alpha I see here is you, forcing others to do your bidding, and breaking up a potential love match. Let this man go, and take me on instead," Ladybug said, swinging onto the rooftop beside Queen Bee.

"Alpha, take care of Ladybug! Get me her Miraculous or I'll make you stay just as you are forever and Mary will never return your love," Hawkmoth commanded.

"Don't you see what he's trying to do alpha? He's using you to fight his battles because he's weak and he knows you're more powerful than him. You don't need to listen to him anymore, he wasn't able to give you what you wanted, Queen Bee did that. She brought you Mary so you could confess your love, but if you listen to Hawkmoth and hurt more people she really will think you're as cruel and mean as he says you are. Alphas can be better than that, they're supposed to protect and care for their mates, don't you want to prove to Mary that you can do that for her without making her feel like a weak omega?" Ladybug asked.

The alpha's eyes swiveled from Ladybug to Hawkmoth and then to Mary. He growled low in frustration, shaking his head as the conflicting commands from Hawkmoth battled for dominance over his want for Mary. "I'm not weak, I will not let someone else control me! I love Mary, I want to protect her, I want to prove I can be a good alpha for her."

A black streak flew up from a window below in the building, settling on Queen Bee's shoulder. Ladybug barely caught the movement out of the corner of her eye and she recognized the small figure huddling under the blonde ponytail. Focusing back on Hawkmoth she wondered briefly what had happened to Cat Noir as he wasn't transformed anymore.

Queen Bee shot Ladybug a quick thumbs-up gesture before smirking at Mary, who suddenly threw herself forward into the alpha's arms. Ladybug and Hawkmoth both stared in shock as the woman began kissing him all over his fur-covered face and muzzle. 

"I don't care what Hawkmoth says, if you do love me alpha then please take me away from here so we can get to know each other properly!" Mary exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the alphas neck and forcing him to support her weight as she used two fingers to squeeze the nerve bundle at the base of his neck. 

The alpha tensed up and lifted his muzzle, letting out a pained howl before his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he fell bonelessly to the ground, Mary never letting up for an instant. The fur began receding, as his bones straightened and he stature corrected itself into a human being once more, sprawled inelegantly on the rooftop with Mary on top of him. "Oh my goodness! It's Mr. Delacy from the bank! I see him every Friday when I drop off my deposit for the week. He passes by my shop on his way home and he always waves and smiles at me."

Hawkmoth spluttered indignantly as his black butterfly was released from the man's chest, and Ladybug grinned triumphantly as she whipped out her yo-yo to de-evilize it. In a heartbeat, a shock wave blew across Paris, the hypnotized omegas all coming to their senses and the four changed alphas transforming back into humans once more. 

"Your plan is through Hawkmoth, you can't control the alphas or omegas any longer. Now give us back Cat Noir!" Ladybug demanded.

"You may have defeated my akuma Ladybug, but he was only a means to an end and he delivered beautifully. I may not have gotten your Miraculous but I have Cat Noir's so I'll consider today a win. Soon enough I'll have them all and I will get what I want, I always do!" Hawkmoth crowed.

"And what is it you want Hawkmoth? What could be so important that you're willing to risk innocent people's lives day after day and put all of Paris in jeopardy for?" Ladybug asked as Rena Rogue, Carapace and Viperion joined her and Queen Bee now that the akuma was gone.

"I don't owe you any explanations Ladybug, you wouldn't understand anyway," Hawkmoth replied.

"What about me then? You can't say you don't owe me an explanation, especially since I'm the one you've been constantly putting in danger with all your akuma attacks father," Adrien said, appearing from around the corner after he'd convinced Natalie he had to speak with his father about the Miraculous'. 

"Adrien?!" surprised gasps were heard from several of the people present, Ladybug looking the most confused.

"I know this isn't how you wanted to find out my lady, but I may finally have a chance to get some answers and I won't let this opportunity pass by even if I can never help you again," Adrien said, giving her a soft, sad smile.

"Fine, since we're in a sharing mood and you now know who I am, I'll tell you, Adrien. All of this was for you, I've been trying to collect the Miraculous' for years to gain a wish that could fix everything. Take us back to a time when we were happy when we were a family. I want to get your mother back for you," Hawkmoth explained, his voice pleading.

Adrien stumbled back a few steps, the truth causing the air to leave his lungs in a rush. The world around him was spinning wildly and he flung his arms out to brace himself, two sets of arms quickly catching him. Green scaled arms paired with red and black spotted ones surrounded him and Adrien glanced up into their concerned faces. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for all of this Ladybug. I swear I never knew any of this."

"I know kitty cat, I don't blame you at all. I'm sorry you had to find out this way," Ladybug replied, pressing her forehead to Adrien's as she fought to steady her breathing.

"You know now Ladybug, so what will be your next move? Will you still fight me, knowing I am in control of the black cat Miraculous and that I am your friend Adrien's father, his only parent still alive? Will you defeat me? Lock me up in prison to rot for the rest of my life and leave Adrien alone for the rest of his?" Hawkmoth asked.

Ladybug shook her head, her limited options tearing her heart apart as the full realization of the situation sunk into Adrien, and tears coursed down his face in agony. "I don't want to hurt your father Adrien, I don't want to see him taken away from you when he's the only family you have left, but we need to stop Hawkmoth."

"Whatever happens Adrien, you still have friends who love you. Never forget that!" Viperion whispered as Adrien choked on a sob, flinging his arms around the two in a desperate attempt to hold onto the people he cared the most for in this world.

"Can't you see how tormented he is Ladybug? Why would you put your beloved Cat Noir through this? I've watched for years as he's protected you, always had your back at the expense of his own. If you truly care about him, then you should want to help him, give me your Miraculous, let me make my wish and I promise I will never make another akuma again," Hawkmoth said. 

Ladybug pulled away from the hug, letting a hand linger on Adrien's shoulder as Viperion kept him tucked in close. "How do I know you'll keep your word Hawkmoth? How do I know that you'll use the wish to bring Adrien's mother back? You could use it to control the world or destroy everything and if we give up our Miraculous' then we'll be helpless to stop you."

"Father don't do this! You don't need to bring her back, not for me. It's true I miss her, but I was so young when she left that I barely remember her. If you brought her back would she even want to stay? What happens when she finds out what you've done? If you're doing this to make me happy then stop! Taking my friend's Miraculous' won't make me happy. I love protecting Paris with Ladybug, feeling the power that the black cat gives me so I can help others. That's what makes me happy," Adrien begged, struggling out of Viperion's arms to fall to his knees in front of Hawkmoth. 

Hawkmoth knelt in front of Adrien, "But this way you can go back to a normal life Adrien, your mother and I will be together again and the three of us will be a complete family. You won't have to protect Paris anymore, there will be no need for these powers. Your mother will never need to know about any of it, we can forget it all like a bad dream."

Adrien shook his head vehemently and he reached up to fist his hand in Hawkmoth's jacket. "I just want you father, I don't need mom to come back to make us a family. We already are one, you just can't see it. It doesn't matter how many people are in the family, whether it's two or twenty, it's the love that they feel for each other that counts. I've always loved you, no matter how long you make me practice the piano every day, or how many photo shoots I have to go to, but it's never felt like you've loved me as much. What did I do wrong? Is it because I'm an omega and not a real beta? I'm sorry for that father, I can't change what I am but I only want to make you proud of me."

Hawkmoth's shoulders fell at the despondent plea from his son. He didn't want to hurt Adrien like this, couldn't the boy see he was trying to make things better for them? How could he not want his mother back, after all these years of planning and fighting to gain the ability to wish for her? What had he missed? How could Adrien ask if he loved him or not, why did he think he was doing all this? "Will, it truly not make you happy to have her back?"

"Not at the cost of stealing all my friend's Miraculous' father. This is wrong, she wouldn't want this either, I know it. Please stop hurting people, stop hurting me," Adrien replied.

"You are so much like her Adrien, you're so gentle and loving. You would sacrifice yourself for your friends, I've seen it so many times. She loved you so much, I cannot even begin to put it into words, that's what I wanted to show you. What I wanted to get back for you," Hawkmoth said, petting Adrien's soft blonde hair gently.

"I don't need her love father, I need yours. It's all I've ever wanted and if I had the power of the Miraculous' it's what I'd wish for above anything else," Adrien confessed.

"Oh Adrien, I do love you! I've just felt so incomplete without your mother, and I didn't know how to show you or tell you how I felt like she was able to so easily. I've always seen omegas as weaker, so when you presented as one I was terrified I wouldn't be able to protect you. You needed to be strong and independent to survive in this world. If you were soft and loving like your mother the world would crush you, tear you apart and take you from me as it did to her. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you too," Hawkmoth said, wrapping his arms around Adrien and pulling him into a hug. 

"Adrien is a lot stronger than you give him credit for Hawkmoth, otherwise he couldn't be Cat Noir or keep defending Paris from your akumas. He may be an omega but that only means he thinks with his heart when he makes decisions, that he loves all his friends and family more passionately than anyone else could. You don't need to worry about protecting him anymore sir, because we love him too and we would never hurt him," Ladybug commented, earning a grateful look from Adrien.

"I see that now Ladybug and I am grateful that he's made such strong allies. If Adrien doesn't want his mother back then all I've done is in vain and forcing the issue will only drive him from me, which is a consequence I cannot live with. I've survived this long on the hope that one day I could bring her back and make everything right again, but her presence will not fix this rift I have created between Adrien and myself. I can no longer bear the pain in my heart and soul from losing my beloved wife and I'm deeply sorry I took it out on my son. I will make things right myself, and I do not need the Miraculous' wish to do so," Hawkmoth announced, climbing to his feet, and bringing Adrien up with him. Adrien looked so broken heartedly hopeful it sent a stab of pain through Hawkmoth that he'd been so blind to his son all these years. Maybe if he'd just told Adrien sooner what his plans were they could have come to some sort of agreement, or at least he would have known his heart better. "Nooroo, black wings fall."

As Hawkmoth de-transformed into Gabriel Agreste, everyone held their breath as the tiny purple butterfly kwami looked curiously from his master to the others. "If you can promise me Ladybug that I will see no repercussions from doing so, I will surrender my Miraculous to you. I have no more need of it as my goal is now moot and honestly, I am tired of these constant battles distracting me from what I should be concentrating my efforts on."

"Father?" Adrien asked, not sure what this meant for Hawkmoth or Cat Noir.

"I'm done playing games, Adrien, I have a fashion empire to run and a son who needs better supervision if he's been sneaking out of the house and skipping school as often as I see Cat Noir running about town," Gabriel replied with a smirk. "Nooroo, take my Miraculous, get the peacock Miraculous and give them as well as Adrien's to Ladybug. You may do what you wish with them."

"But why not give Adrien back his Miraculous? You know he's responsible enough to have it," Ladybug protested, as Nooroo set both the butterfly brooch and cat claw ring in her hands before flitting off to find the peacock brooch.

"Even after learning who I am Ladybug? And who my father was? I feel like I've been lying this whole time to you and everyone else," Adrien replied, glancing from Ladybug to Gabriel.

"Although I do not wish for you to recklessly throw yourself into danger as you so often do as Cat Noir, Adrian. If you think he's worthy of still holding the black cat miraculous, Ladybug, then it's up to you if he gets it back or not. I will go help Nooroo retrieve the peacock miraculous, excuse me," Gabriel said, giving his son a last pat on the shoulder before going inside the building.

"Oh Adrien, I couldn't imagine someone else as Cat Noir. You've been my purrfect partner since day one," Ladybug replied, earning a blush from the blonde.

"A cat joke my lady?" Adrien chuckled, causing everyone to laugh.

"They definitely sound better coming from you, so please will you take the black cat miraculous back, Adrien?" Ladybug asked, holding the ring out to him.

"You all still trust me to be Cat Noir, even after finding out my identity? You said if we found out who we were we wouldn't be able to keep the miraculous' anymore. I don't want to put you or anyone in danger," Adrien replied, holding back from taking the ring he so badly wanted.

"Aw come on kid, if you don't take it I'm gonna have Viperion and Carapace jump on you and hold you down while I force it on your finger. Don't make me beg Adrien, but it doesn't matter to me that they know who you are, I don't want to lose you as a master just yet, so take the dang ring back already!" Plagg insisted, floating just in front of Adrien's face, his arms crossed in stubborn determination.

"Plagg, even you? I don't think I deserve it anymore, but if you still want me then I'd be honored to be Cat Noir again," Adrien said, feeling the overwhelming emotion try to smother him once more. 

"Don't cry over it Adrien, just put the ring back on again and let's go get some Camembert cheese. You totally owe me after all this!" Plagg said, shoving the ring into Adrien's hand before the boy could refuse again.

"I see the decision has been made then," Gabriel said, eyeing the silver ring once more on Adrien's hand, the black cat kwami sitting smugly on his shoulder. "Here is the peacock miraculous like I promised Ladybug. Do be careful with it, it has caused nothing but trouble for those who have used it. I would recommend it be put away somewhere safe, so others will not be tempted."

"Yes of course Mr. Agreste, I promise to look after the Miraculous' very carefully. Thank you for entrusting them to me," Ladybug said, placing them gently into her round polka-dotted purse hanging on her hip. "I should get these back to where they belong. I'll see you soon Cat Noir."

Adrien waved good-bye as Ladybug, Carapace, Rena Rogue and Viperion all took their leave, standing on the rooftop with his father. "Father, I have one more thing to discuss with you today before any more time goes by. I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again and I hope this time you'll really listen to me."

Gabriel quirked an eyebrow at his son, curious at this display of rarely seen strength and determination. "Alright, what is it, Adrien?"

"I do not want to marry Kagami Tsurugi. I know you want an alliance with the family to help strengthen your ties to the fashion industry in Asia but whether you want to admit it or not, I'm an omega and I can't mate with a beta like her. We're friends and that's all we'll ever be, I'll never be able to continue the Agreste line with her," Adrien explained, tightening his hands into fists by his sides and trying to keep his composure.

"You have said something along that line before, and you're right I was hoping to tie our families together. However, a marriage will mean nothing if you can never learn to be more than friends and she won't be able to help you through your heats if that is the case either. So then what do you propose Adrien, do you have someone else in mind?" Gabriel asked, knowing he was right when Adrien gave a slight nod of his head.

"I don't know what it'll lead to if anything yet, since it's still so new, but I'm dating Luka Coffaine. He helped me through my last heat, he's been my friend for years now and I trust him almost more than anyone else. I care about him father, so please don't force me to choose someone I don't want and who doesn't want me," Adrien said, his breathing becoming erratic at the possible reaction his father could have.

Gabriel barely suppressed a scowl at the name his son said, a million protests flying to his lips that he viciously bit back. Luka Coffaine was about the last person he would have chosen for Adrien, that was true, but he also hadn't let his son experiment with dating as of yet and this could prove to just be a mild fling. There was no point in working himself up for such a tentative and unsure relationship like this, as far as he'd known until a moment ago Adrien wasn't even interested in men. "I won't forbid you from seeing Mr. Coffaine if that is what you want Adrien, but I would suggest caution in public. Your coming out speech in the park today was scandalous enough for the time being and I'm going to have a PR nightmare to work through to get everything sorted. I've always tried to keep the Gabriel brand out of politics or public relations issues, but now we're going to have to publicly support omegas and stand behind your little stunt. So for the time being Adrien, please keep your love life out of the papers."

Adrien nodded in surprise, hardly expecting anything like that from his father but smart enough not to question it. The whole day seemed to be going in a weird, bizarre fashion like that and he gratefully retreated to his room after his father let him know dinner with the Tsurugi's had been canceled. He flopped down on his bed, completely exhausted, unable to think straight anymore.

"Hey Adrien your phone is ringing, you might want to get this," Plagg said, waving a hand at where the cell phone was discarded on his desk.

"I don't want to deal with anything else today Plagg. I'll call whoever it is back tomorrow," Adrian moaned tiredly, not even bothering to open his eyes.

"Well don't say I didn't try to help you kid. You're completely stressed out and could use some relaxation, not that I blame you," Plagg replied, laying a piece of Adrien's favorite flavor of cheese on the boy's chest after digging through the stockpile in the mini-fridge.

Adrien gave a weak grin and popped the piece into his mouth, realizing how long it had been since he'd eaten as his stomach grumbled. "I'm sorry Plagg, I don't mean to take it out on you. You did great today, I couldn't have warned the others without you."

"And I know exactly what will make you feel better," Plagg said with a smile, as Adrien's phone started ringing once more. "Hello, this is Adrien's phone. He's currently indisposed at the moment, can I take a message?"

Adrien raised himself onto an elbow, his curiosity overriding his exhaustion as he watched Plagg nod and hum in response to whoever was on the other end of the phone. "Plagg who was that?"

"Well you'd know if you'd answered the phone, but you were being too lazy," Plagg teased, getting an eye roll from Adrien in response.

Minutes later a soft tapping was heard from one of Adrien's tall windows and he craned his neck backwards to see Luka perched on the window sill. "Plagg quick, open the window!"

Plagg snickered in amusement from his resting spot on top of the mini-fridge, a piece of cheese held in each paw as Adrien threw himself from the bed and raced to the window. "I told you to answer your phone."

Adrien didn't bother with a response as he held out a hand to take Luka's as the young man carefully climbed into the room. "Luka, what are you doing here?"

"I wasn't able to talk to you earlier and I was worried about how you were handling all this," Luka said, using Adrien's hand in his to pull the blonde into a hug, smelling the subtle scent of stress from the omega. Adrien tensed at first, before Luka ran a hand through his hair, giving his scalp a gentle scratch, causing him to purr and go limp. Luka loved how responsive Adrien was and tilted his head to the side a bit as a nose was buried into the crook of his neck.

"Honestly Luka I don't even know, it's like I can't even process it all yet. Every time I think about it, I see Hawkmoth turning into my father and I think back to all the fights we've had against him and how did I not see it? And all that just so he could try to bring my mom back? All this time I thought she was dead. I kept hoping he would move on, he would just accept it and stop living in the past. But I feel like I don't even know him anymore like I can't trust him. I'm glad he gave back the miraculous' but if something else doesn't go his way what lengths will he go to to get what he wants? And what you and the others must have seen me do with that alpha earlier, it makes me feel sick," Adrien confessed, pulling away from Luka and tugging him along behind him as he collapsed onto his bed in a dejected heap.

"Yeah that is a lot to take in and I'm sorry things worked out the way they did. If there was some other way it could have gone better I would have gladly used my Second Chance for it. But you don't have to worry about Hawkmoth anymore, or any innocents getting akumatized again. So no having to sneak out during school, making up lame excuses to transform into Cat Noir, or keeping the secret from your dad. It should take quite a bit of pressure off you. As for trusting him again, that'll take time Adrien. I think both of you are going to have to relearn who each other are but in the end, you should have a much stronger relationship. And I don't care about what happened during the akuma attack, none of that was your fault nor was it anything you could control. None of us think any less of you for it, Ladybug still wants you to be Cat Noir, right?" Luka asked.

Adrien lifted his head, swiping at the tears threatening at the edges of his vision. "Yeah, you're right, about all of it. Thanks, Luka, I guess I needed someone else's perspective after all. And I do have some good news."

Luka smiled at him, cupping his cheek in one hand and caressing him with a thumb across his temple. "What's that?"

Adrien couldn't resist leaning into the soft touch, his eyes slipping shut, a smile mirrored on his face. "I told my father I didn't want to marry Kagami and I was dating you. He agreed to let me, so long as we don't get any more pictures published in the news."

Luka chuckled happily and leaned in to steal a quick kiss, barely grazing Adrien's soft, plump lips. Adrien whimpered at the feeling, his mouth trying to follow after Luka's retreat. "That's definitely the best news I've heard all day."

"Can you stay for awhile Luka? I don't think I want to be alone right now," Adrien asked, curling into Luka's side, afraid he'd suddenly disappear.

"Since I'm not about to be run off by your dad or your bodyguard I'd be happy to stay as long as you want me to. Do you want to talk more?" Luka replied, wrapping his arms around Adrien's shoulders and taking the blonde's weight.

"Not really, at least not about what happened today. Since I came out about being an omega today, do you think I should come out about dating you as well?" Adrien asked, the topic switch throwing Luka for a moment.

"I guess that's up to you, I've never flaunted it exactly but both my sister, my mom, and a few close friends know I'm bisexual. If you want to tell your friends I don't mind I'm not ashamed to be seen with you in public since we went to dinner together," Luka said.

"Ug, I totally owe you a better night out than that, I can't even remember half of it. And maybe we can get a picture together that won't wind up in the newspaper," Adrien laughed. "Do you think Marinette is going to be disappointed? I think she's had a crush on you for a while now, but she's too shy to say anything."

Luka couldn't help snicker at Adrien's concerned look, "It's not me she'll be disappointed in losing a chance with Adrien, it's you."

"Me? You mean how she tends to get flustered and confused when she's around me? That's only because she liked me as a celebrity for so long before she met me, she says it throws her off. But I've seen the way she looks at you Luka, you walk into a room and it's like the whole world disappears," Adrien confessed, completely understanding how that felt now.

"Even if she did like me more than friends Adrien, she's had years to act on it and she never has so I'm not going to worry too much about it. You on the other hand are going to break more hearts than you know when you tell people you're taken," Luka replied, leaning in to capture Adrien's lips once more.

"So long as it's not your heart I'm breaking Luka," Adrien whispered, pressing back into the kiss, the days shattered happenings being effortlessly swept away as the two lost themselves in each other.


End file.
